Public approval as an indicator of the success of the social contract in the EU countries

Abstract

This article studies the concept of social contract and its evolution in the context of modern democracies. Special attention is paid to the views of John Rawls and his Theory of Justice, which offers a new approach to the principles of equality and justice in the social contract. It analyzes sociological indicators that allow to assess the state of the social contract, such as the level of trust, etc. To study the dynamics of those indicators in the European Union countries, the Eurobarometer survey is used, which provides relevant data for analyzing changes in citizens’ perception of the social contract.