Paul Holbach’s Ideas about the Social Contract and Their Significance for Nowadays

Abstract

The paper reveals theoretical approaches to the development of the ideas of the social contract in the works by Paul Holbach and their significance for nowadays. The author of the article draws attention to such relevant provisions of Holbach’s works for today’s realities as criticism of absolutism, ideological control, social evils of power, the need to develop and support the middle class, etc. It is shown that Holbach understands mutually beneficial, voluntary interaction between a citizen and the state based on mutual rights and obligations as the basis of a social contract. Proceeding from the ideas of P. Holbach, the author of the article considers the possibilities of voluntary subordination of the country’s citizens to the social contract through such indicators as: solidarity with the policy of state power, trust in the authorities, political and social institutions, and persons personifying them, satisfaction with life and the state of affairs in the country, a sense that the state acts in the interests of all citizens.