Social Contract and the Political Mythologies of Colonial Empires

The social contract is often idealized as a myth underpinning modern liberal societies, yet it raises concerns from democratic perspectives. It shapes both individual and socio-political identity, foundational to liberal polities, but these polities have long been marked by structural inequalities rooted in colonial empires. Understanding the role of myth-making is crucial to unpacking the relationship between social contract theory, liberalism, and democracy. Political myths like the social contract are dynamic, adapting to social changes and fostering new socio-political narratives. These myths evolved during the shift from colonial empires to post-colonial states and continue to transform within supranational entities like the European Union (EU). Analyzing these transformations requires examining how political myths operate on both rational and emotional levels, particularly from a critical postcolonial perspective. This analysis reveals how social contract myths shape imperial, colonial, and postcolonial subjectivities. The social contract mythology in the EU, for example, constrains democratic aspirations of liberalizing societies, while the myth of the EU’s green transition highlights tensions between supranational ambitions and colonial legacies. Additionally, migration issues expose the lingering impact of imperial-colonial narratives at the state level. These dynamics suggest the need for empirical investigation into the intersection of political myths and social contracts at empire, state, and EU levels.