Kant's Research On Social Contract Thinking

From rudiment to accomplishment,the social contract theory has experienced the processes from slavery to the capitalist society for thousands of years,and provides the modern western civilization with a complete theoretical contribution.The idea of contract offers a new pattern of thinking for the construction of nation and society,that is,the coexistence of secularism and rationality,equality and freedom.Kant is a noted enlightenment thinker,who is deeply influenced by the social contract theory.And his social contract thought belongs to the traditional contract theory,with which he applies to establish the model of the ideal country.However,Kant's theory of social contract is based on pure practical reason,in which the endowment of rationalism subverts the empiricist tradition of contract theory.Besides,his social contract is hypothetical,through which he resets the contract as the neutral,and produces the legal procedural agreement.It is like that people reach some agreement through subject choosing so as to result in the corresponding system and constraints.Freedom is the logical basis of Kant's social contract thought.And in Kant's standpoint,man is a free being,and he himself is the purpose.The identity of a man in social life is presented by the fact that he is free.Moral law is the reason why people have rights and obligations,but the conceptual roots of rights can not be obtained through empirical elements.Therefore,the transition from freedom to moral law,and the transition of moral law to rights,is the process of turning freedom into rights.Kant substitutes the meaning of "right" and "law" equally,thus making "Recht",a German concept with more substantial content and meaning.The property right is the core of the private right,and Kant explicitly discusses the relationship between the establishment of the property right and the social contract.In discussing the nature of the concept of property,Kant thinks that property right is the product of social contract.While focusing on individual freedom and rights,Kant emphasized the harmony and unity between the state and the individual.The transition from the natural state to the social state is accessed through social contracts,and this transition is also how a nation comes into being.And for the question of protecting the rights and freedom of citizens,Kant's answer is to believe in people.Kant's idea of social contract directly leads to Hegel's political philosophy,and greatly effects contemporary contract theorists represented by Rawls.Meanwhile his idea of social contract also provides reflection in Kant's way for political dilemmas of Europe who is experiencing refugee crisis.As for the form,for the first time,Kant expounds the nature of social contract with the normative ideal.As for the feature,Kant's social contract belongs to liberalism and he holds high of the flag to maintain the freedom and rights.In his vision,the social contract is to guarantee the freedom and human rights by building the ideal political system.