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Which one of the following social contract traditions has not been revitalised by John Rawls in his book 'A Theory of Justice'?
Hobbes
John Locke
J.J. Rousseau
Immanuel Kant
Hobbes
Rawls explicitly states in A Theory of Justice that he is generalising and carrying to a higher level of abstraction the social contract tradition associated with Locke, Rousseau, and Kant — Hobbes is notably left out of this specific revival claim. Rawls claims his social contract theory can be considered part of the social contract tradition which includes Locke, Rousseau, and Kant, and similarly, the social contract idea was developed in different ways by Locke, Rousseau, and Kant, falling into disrepute after Kant until it was resurrected by Rawls.
- Tradition Rawls revives: Locke, Rousseau, and Kant — explicitly named as his lineage in justifying "justice as fairness"
- Hobbes's exclusion: Though Hobbes originated the modern social contract idea, Rawls's revival did not base obligations on consent, unlike Hobbes's and Locke's contract, which concerned the terms of political association and obedience to the state
- Why Kant matters most: Rawls draws heavily on Kantian constructivism — the "original position" mirrors Kant's idea of using a fair procedure rather than actual historical consent
- Note on sources: A few sources mention Hobbes alongside the others loosely, but Rawls's own formulation in the book's preface omits Hobbes
