Single Idea 20738

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / c. Social contract]

Full Idea

Modern society has come to be viewed as something artificial, an aggregate of disconnected individuals that is held together by instrumental social contracts and monetary exchanges.

Gist of Idea

Social contracts and markets have made society seem disconnected and artificial

Source

Kevin Aho (Existentialism: an introduction [2014], 1 'Emergence')

Book Reference

Aho,Kevin: 'Existentialism: an introduction' [Polity 2014], p.7


A Reaction

This is all long of you, Thomas Hobbes! Aho is explaining the rebellion of existentialists against this - though existentialism strikes me as another variant of liberal individualism.