Citizens and Sovereigns: A Social Contract

Citizens contribute through taxation or service to the state in exchange for protection of their natural rights, establishing a social contract between them and the sovereign. In this arrangement, it is crucial for both parties to fulfill their roles for societal function. When crimes occur, they are perceived as attacks not just on individuals but on the collective body politic, undermining the authority of the sovereign. According to Foucault, the penal system in the 1750s primarily aimed at reinforcing the sovereign's authority rather than ensuring justice or fairness for offenders.