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Social contract theory is a philosophical and political framework that explains the legitimacy of social and political institutions through the idea of an agreement, either actual or hypothetical, among individuals to establish rules, authority, and systems of cooperation ^[1][2]. The theory proposes that individuals accept certain obligations and constraints in exchange for the protection of rights, security, social order, or collective benefits provided through political institutions ^[1][3]. Classical social contract theorists, including Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, developed different accounts of human nature, political authority, consent, and the relationship between individuals and the state ^[2][3]. Contemporary interpretations have extended social contract theory to questions of justice, citizenship, equality, legitimacy, and the conditions under which social and political arrangements can be considered fair or acceptable ^[1][4]. Social contract theory therefore provides a framework for examining how societies justify authority, define mutual responsibilities, and organize cooperation among individuals and institutions.