SOCIETY
(many people)

Now consider society, or many people living together.  If the basis of two people living in peace is a promise not to do certain actions, then the basis of a peaceful and orderly society is to think of everyone as bound to everyone else by such promises.  Of course, no-one was present during the "founding" of their society, but the social contract theorist argues that these promises are the small number of agreements that any rational person would make if she imagined herself there.  These promises to one each other can be considered the social contract--the basis of society's laws.

However. . . because people are hedonistic or self-interested, people will tend to break their promises. . . in fact, whenever they calculate that it is in their benefit to do so!     Unless. . . people rationally foresee this consequence, and therefore authorize a power to create a social environment in which it is not in people's self-interest to break these promises at any time!  This is the basis of  deterrent stategies of punishment. Climb up to Step 4...