Ancient Indian thought

Ideas of the social contract go very far back in history. India was perhaps the earliest to realize the value of a strong king and the social contract. Bhishma says in the Mahabharata: ‘A kingdom in which anarchy prevails becomes weak and is soon afflicted by robbers.’^[1]Highlighting the social compact, he noted: 'It hath been heard by us that men, in days of old, in consequence of anarchy, met with destruction, devouring one another like stronger fishes devouring the weaker ones in the water. It hath been heard by us that a few amongst them then, assembling together, made certain compacts, saying, "He who becomes harsh in speech, or violent in temper, he who seduces or abducts other people’s wives or robs the wealth that belongs to others, should be cast off by us." For inspiring confidence among all classes of the people, they made such a compact and lived for some time.'^[1]

But there were limits on this conception of the social contract. He emphasised, for example, that ‘A person who is desirous of prosperity should worship the king as he should worship Indra himself.’^[1]