The Nature of Civil–Military & Civil–Contractor Relations

Abstract

This chapter provides the conceptual framework for the argument advanced in this book. It provides the conceptual understanding of the trinitarian relationship between society, state and security provider. While civil–military relations traditionally revolve around the covenantal agreements of the Social Contract, the nature of the relationship between society, state and contractor is conceptually ill defined. This chapter outlines the social contractarian nature of civil–military relations as a foundation from which to conceptualize the relationship between society, state and contractor. The essential conceptual differences between social contractarian civil–military and commercial civil–contractor relations become significant when comparatively making sense of soldier and contractor conduct in humanitarian intervention.