Social Contract and the Constitutional Crisis

Mar 05, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

When I think of the looming constitutional crisis, I think of social contract. In political philosophy, the social contract is the theory that speaks to the legitimacy of the authority of the state (government) over the individual (citizens). Most theories debate if the citizens have consented explicitly or tacitly to surrender some of their “freedoms” and to be under the authority of the decision maker (government), to keep social order.
They are multiple theories on the social contract. In all these theories, it’s usually the human condition that is examined, which causes the need for a social contract. “State of Nature” can be used to explain why any rational human being would give up their “natural freedom” to obtain benefits from a political order bounded by a social contract.
Two opposing views on “State of Nature” or “Human Nature” are proposed by Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Thomas Hobbes in the Leviathan believed without a social contract to keep humans in check, we would have “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” lives, as such is human nature. Humans in Hobbes view were innately selfish and would lead anarchic lives without a social contract. John Locke in the Second Treatise of Government, on the other hand, believed in human’s being innately moral and would seek no harm to each other be it lives or possessions. Locke believed that man can come together to create government (via social contracts) to have a body to protect these rights.
I would like to propose we accept our constitution as Guyana’s social contract. In this contract, there is a no-confidence provision, which has been put into motion. Upon the arrival of 90-days after the fact, and President Granger still hasn’t called elections, he will be in direct breach of such contract.
Editor, do we as Guyanese return to “state of nature”? If so which? One where we are all moral or one where we are nasty and brutish? With this looming constitutional crisis, what does the average man on the street expect? I would like to ask President Granger to propose a date for the election and then request the Leader of the Opposition to extend the life of the Government to this date.

Yours truly,
Nalinie Singh

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