Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary (includes "Of the Original Contract", first published 1748), ed. Eugene F. Miller
David Hume — Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary (includes "Of the Original Contract", first published 1748), ed. Eugene F. Miller (1987)David Hume · 1987 · Book · Of the Original ContractDisputedSource attached · not independently reviewedCLM-0214 · as of 2026-10-23 · about: Social contract theory · Author: Polity Atlas editorial team
“Critics argue that the classical social contract is a historical fiction and that it conceals domination: Hume denied any actual original contract, Pateman argued that it presupposes a sexual contract, and Mills that it presupposes a racial contract.”
Context. Defenders treat the contract as a hypothetical device for testing justification, not a historical claim.
Evidence that supports
3The Sexual Contract
Carole Pateman — The Sexual Contract (1988)Carole Pateman · 1988 · BookThe Racial Contract
Charles W. Mills — The Racial Contract (1997)Charles W. Mills · 1997 · BookEvidence that contradicts
0No counter-evidence recorded.
Status history
No earlier revisions.
Disputes
No disputes have been filed.