"The first principle of a civilized state is that the power is legitimate only when it is under contract"

Walter Lippmann's quote, "The first principle of a civilized state is that the power is legitimate only when it is under contract", emphasizes the fundamental concept of social contract theory in political viewpoint. This view underscores the need for governmental and reliable power to be legitimized through a consensual and shared agreement among the governed. This concept can be traced back to Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Thomas Hobbes, who argued that a federal government's authenticity springs from an implicit contract with its people.

In analyzing Lippmann's statement, one might initially consider the significance of "civilized state". Here, he indicates a society with recognized norms, legal systems, and governance structures that serve to preserve order and guarantee justice. Civilization recommends a progression from chaos or anarchy to a more organized and practical social structure. In such a state, the rule of law dominates, and arbitrary usages of power are curtailed.

The term "contract" in this context alludes to a fundamental agreement. This agreement is not merely a composed or formal file; it embodies the philosophical and ethical understanding that the authority worked out by the state originates from, and is restricted by, the consent of the governed. This principle rejects the idea of magnificent right or hereditary power, postulating rather that authority must be validated through the cumulative will and benefit of society.

Lippmann's view implicitly criticizes authoritarian regimes or any type of governance where power is focused in the hands of a couple of, or where rulers act unilaterally without accountability. On the other hand, a legitimate government respects and protects the rights and liberties of people, operates transparently, and stays answerable to its citizenry.

Therefore, Lippmann's assertion encapsulates a democratic values, wherein governance is not dictated but rather delegated by the individuals, conditioned on the adherence to concurred concepts and expectations that support the neighborhood's welfare. It's a suggestion that the endurance of civilization depends on this carefully balanced, contract-based relationship between authority and population.