According to John Locke, what was the nature of the social contract?

John Locke's concept of the social contract revolves around the idea that individuals willingly come together to form a society and establish a government. This collaborative choice to delegate authority is fundamental to Locke's political philosophy. He believed that in a state of nature, people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property, but to protect these rights more effectively, they agree to form a government. This government is granted power through the consent of the governed, meaning that its authority stems from the collective agreement of the people.

Locke emphasized that this social contract is not a surrender of individual rights but rather an arrangement to better secure them. Thus, the essence of the social contract as described by Locke is about cooperation and the conscious decision by individuals to create a system of governance that protects their rights and facilitates a structured society. This cooperative delegation of authority is crucial for understanding the development of democratic principles and the role of consent in political theory.