Answer:
In “The Farewell Address,” George Washington describes religion and morality as the two indispensable pillars which support political prosperity. He then says that we should be cautious about the idea that morality can flourish without religion and concludes with the assertion:
"Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
There is considerable debate about the religious opinions of the founding fathers, including Washington. Whether he meant it or not, however, this statement is clearly false. There is no clear correlation between religious principles and national morality, let alone any good evidence that one causes the other. This would have been less clear two hundred years ago, since practically every nation had an established church, from which it was often difficult for many people to dissent publicly. Nonetheless, it is now clear that secular nations such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium are sustained by a national morality at least as strong as any religious nation. These countries have low rates of crime and particularly of violent crime. They have enlightened, compassionate social policies which enjoy the support of the majority of citizens. Their presses are freer and their political systems less corrupt than the average in Europe, let alone worldwide. They conform in every material respect to the founding fathers’ notion of political prosperity.
Answer:
<em>The Social Contract principle states that man was naturally free, and lived without rules or order, but in order to protect their rights and properties government was created.</em> Under the Social Contract theory, government is only valid with the consent of people. This principle inspired the Founding Fathers and can be found under the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence.
<u>Thomas Jefferson reflected the Social Contract theory into the Declaration of Independence by stating that Britain's Crown had not fulfilled their duties as Government of the Colonies and that this was cause of separation. </u>(<em>"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"</em>).
The Articles of Confederation reflected the Social Contract theory by <em>maintaining the sovereignty of states (Article I) </em>and creating a union where each state gave consent to the central government to use its power. <em>The idea of Article II that nine states had to agree so that the central government could act, is also a reflection of the social contract. </em>
