The Historical Evolution And Contemporary Transformation Of Contract Thought

The idea of contracts has a long history,going all the way back to the ancient Greeks.The ideas of contract are reflected in the views of Plato and Epicurus,and the most rapidly developed and influential theory of modern traditional social contract is mainly represented by Hobbes,Locke and Rousseau.Up to now,the research on contract theories has been quite fruitful.However,most scholars focus on the representative views of modern traditional social contract theory or comparative analysis of the similarities and differences between various views.Few scholars pay attention to the historical evolution of contract thought from the perspective of historical materialism,and then systematically excavate the contract spirit which has positive significance to modern times.As a representative of the traditional social contract theory in modern times,Rousseau’s thought on the contract has a lot in common with Marx’s theory.And Hegel,as the aggregator of German classical philosophy,his views on Marx’s relevant theories can not be underestimated.It can be said that both Rousseau and Hegel have provided Marx with very important theoretical resources.However,Rousseau’s contract thought is based on the theoretical assumption of the natural state,describing how human beings step by step from a beautiful state of existence into a civilized society highlighting many problems,and further thinking about the way out of the plight of civilized society,which has a certain romantic color.Although Hegel also recognized that freedom is the essential feature of human will,he strictly separated free will from Rousseau’s arbitrary individual general will and divided freedom into three dimensions--freedom of abstract personality,freedom of moral subjectivity in the sense of reflection,and social freedom.Correspondingly,Hegel never believed that the contract made with the free will of citizens was the foundation of the national community.In Hegel’s opinion,the contract was indeed necessary in the civil society,but it did not exist in the field of family and country.Only the logical deduction of absolute spirit could explain everything,so he moved towards idealism.Marx criticized and transcended the contract thought of Rousseau and Hegel.Based on the material interests behind the society,he described the development of the social formation.In fact,he transcended Rousseau’s romantic social contract thought and also sublated Hegel’s idealist contract thought,standing at the height of historical materialism.