The Prisoners Dilemma in Social Contract Theory - Essay Example

The states of nature with no organization structures within the civil society are defined as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" (Binmore 56). Hobbes's reaction to individuals in a society with no social institutions and with natural states is further backed by the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” which also defines the behavior of individuals in a society in its natural state. This theory is founded on the individualist powers in society.

According to the prisoner’s dilemma theory, everyone in the society is after achieving personal interest and thus more individualistic and self-fish. This makes the society less productive than it would have been had all the individuals been willing to cooperate for the benefit of the society as a whole. A perfect example is that of the ‘free rider’ in society. The free rider problem is presented in the case of public goods which are non-rival and non-excludability. Therefore, once provided, the cost of excluding others from consuming it would even be more expensive. This makes some people (free riders) take advantage and consume the goods without paying them, hence making the provision of such goods more costly (Binmore 59).

According to Hobbes, the most preferred and rational states of nature in a civil society are cooperation and aversion of the natural societal state. Every society that breeds individualism ends up losing its development course because of the self-seeking nature of the people in such a society. According to Hobbes, individuals utilize their rational and natural impulses to engage in social contracts as a way of avoiding the fear brought about by the state of nature. This involves giving up on the right to self-governance. Self-right is traded sovereignty at the expense of society. Sovereignty comes with authority and power that members of the society are expected to obey whether the sovereign power is vested in a ruling body or an individual (Binmore 61).

This is because it is such sovereign powers and authority vested in a person that keeps off the degeneration of society into a state of nature. The sovereign therefore becomes the only authorized personality in the civil society with the power to decide on the best course of action for the entire generation while the rest give their due by obeying the decisions of the sovereign representatives. Although the system may be autocratic, Hobbes argues that, just like other members of the society, the sovereign is determined and eager and also cautious to avoid any state of nature and, hence would always act in the interest of the majority (Binmore 65). Read More