This work emphasizes the coherence and intelligibility of the social compact theory which, in spite of the partisan politics of the founding period, was one of the founders' unifying philosophical positions. It presents a comprehensive overview of the social compact theory.

The American Founding and the Social Compact is a first-rate collection of essays that examine the shared political ideas of the American Founders with a particular focus on the theory of the social compact. As this volume so convincingly argues, an understanding of social compact theory is essential for understanding the Founders' ideas about human nature, government and politics.