Question

john lockes enlightenment idea of the \social contract\ heavily influenced the american colonists reponse to the enforcement of the navigation acts, the stamp act, the townshend act, the tea act, and the so-called intolerable acts. what idea is stated by \social contract\ theory? a legal rights are codified into law by a legislative body, and are culturally and politically relative. b people have the natural right to replace leaders if they fail to lead as the people desire. c natural rights are not contingent upon the laws, beliefs, or customs of a society. d governments derive their power from a social contract, which is a legal right.

Explanation:

John Locke's social contract theory posits that people have natural rights (like life, liberty, and property). The government's power comes from the consent of the governed. If a government fails to protect these rights (i.e., fails to lead as the people desire, as the colonists felt with British acts), the people have the right to change the government.

• Option A: Focuses on legal rights being relative and codified, not the core of social contract (which is about natural rights and government - people relationship).
• Option C: Only mentions natural rights not being contingent, but doesn't address the government - people contract aspect (the key part of social contract theory).
• Option D: Incorrectly says social contract is a legal right. It's a philosophical concept about the origin of government power from the people's consent.

Answer:

B. People have the natural right to replace leaders if they fail to lead as the people desire.