social contract

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social contract (plural social contracts)

1. (philosophy, politics) An implicit agreement or contract among members of a society governing such matters as submission of individuals to the rule of law and acceptable conduct.

   Synonym: social compact

   • 2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly‎, volume 188, number 23, page 19:

     In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. […]

   • 2023 April 24, Charles Hugh Smith, America's Social Contract Is Broken‎:

     When scammers large and small live better than those creating value in the real economy, the Social Contract has ceased to exist.