A Contractarian Approach to the Concept of a Minimal State

Abstract

This article explores the concept of a minimum state from the perspective of social contractarianism. The minimal state, rooted in the classical liberal school of political philosophy, focuses on defending citizens' rights and liberties as its primary obligation. Advocates like John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and John Stuart Mill argued that a government should maintain law and order, ensuring citizens live in an orderly society. The concept of the general will, where individuals jointly choose laws and policies, was pioneered by Rousseau. The Enlightenment era coincided with the emergence of the minimal state, as academics and thinkers questioned the absolute power of monarchs and hierarchical structures.