In contractualism, consent is often understood as an implied agreement that individuals give by participating in a society and benefiting from its institutions and protections.

Thomas Hobbes is often considered the father of modern social contract theory due to his influential work, Leviathan, where he argues that individuals consent to give up some of their freedoms to a sovereign in exchange for protection and security.

According to Locke, the primary purpose of government is to protect individual rights and liberties, such as the rights to life, liberty, and property.

Rousseau argues that legitimate political authority can only be derived from the consent of the governed, as expressed through a social contract.

The state of nature in social contract theory is a hypothetical condition used to explore the origins of political authority and the justification for government.

Coercion is not a principle of contractualism, as it involves forcing individuals to comply with rules or agreements against their will.

The primary role of a social contract is to establish a framework for cooperation and coordination among individuals, enabling them to live together peacefully and productively.

Thomas Hobbes argued that individuals in the state of nature are in a constant state of war with each other, leading to a condition he called 'the war of all against all'.

Consent in contractualist theories implies that individuals have voluntarily agreed to be governed by certain rules or principles, thereby legitimizing political authority.

John Rawls argued that the social contract is a hypothetical agreement that individuals would make if they were rational and self-interested, behind a 'veil of ignorance' that prevents them from knowing their own social position or interests.

The general will, according to Rousseau, is the will that is in the best interests of all members of society, not just a particular group or faction.

David Hume argued that the social contract is an implied agreement based on the benefits that individuals derive from living in a society, such as protection, security, and the ability to pursue their own interests.

Fairness in contractualist theories requires that the benefits and burdens of society are distributed justly among its members.

John Rawls argued that the social contract is a dynamic and evolving agreement that can be revised or renegotiated over time, as society and its circumstances change.