Social Contract
Burke was the first to clearly criticize the concept of the Social Contract, which was established through the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution. He condemned the deceptive nature of the contract advocated by revolutionary governments and their supporters, and argued that the fundamental contract that has been transmitted and maintained in society is not something that can be easily entered into or changed by the people who gather at constitutional conventions or popular assemblies, based on their free will and reason. Social contract refers to the implicit or explicit agreement among the major stakeholders in society, such as citizens and government, workers and employers. It forms the foundation for people to live together in society. Social contracts reflect the overall priorities of society. In the social contract of the United States, individual freedom is prioritized, while in East Asian countries, the emphasis is on the interests of the group. This fundamental prioritization is also reflected in the methods of providing public goods, such as public policies, regulatory frameworks, protection of workers, social safety nets, healthcare, education, national security, and infrastructure.