ABSTRACT
In Scotland the century begins with strong endorsements of theories of the social contract, but with the passage of time political discourse evolves in the direction of neglecting and then dismissing discussions of the state of nature, popular sovereignty, consent, and social contract. Whereas in Scotland the social contract tradition was strongly articulated early in the century, in France it was all but absent during the same period. With the passage of time it would become increasingly evident that one of the several missions which the contributors to the Encyclopdie wished to pursue was that of promoting ideas of natural rights and a social contract in France. The Enlightenments in Scotland and France had much in common—shared commitments, hopes, and fears—and yet they diverged significantly. The French Enlightenment began without the social contract but over the decades ardently embraced it.
