THE SOCIAL CONTRACT

"Tolerance as a social contract" means that the act of tolerating others' differences, beliefs, or lifestyles is seen as an unspoken agreement within a society where everyone agrees to respect each other's diversity, as long as it does not cause harm to others, essentially creating a pact for peaceful coexistence; if someone violates this agreement by being intolerant, they forfeit the protection of the social contract themselves.

Everyone benefits from a tolerant society by having the freedom to express themselves without fear of persecution, while also respecting the rights of others to do the same.

This perspective views tolerance not as a personal virtue that requires absolute acceptance of all views, but rather as a practical strategy for maintaining social harmony.

The social contract concept implies that tolerance is not unlimited; harmful actions or speech that threaten the well-being of others can be considered a violation of the contract and subject to societal consequences.