Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) - Enlightenment Philosopher
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Rousseau was a political philosopher who was influential in French revolution. He is widely known for his The Social Contract (1762), which sought to promote a more egalitarian form of government by consent and formed the basis of modern Republicanism, although not in economics, or modern republicanism. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote abundantly about inequality which greatly influenced the political ideas of the French Revolution and the development of socialist thought. Rousseau saw humankind as naturally pure and good, which appealed to biology and human instincts to explain social outcomes. He thought it is only through the process of building society and repressing this pure natural character that social problems develop. He also saw the emergence of private property, the idea that a person has the right to own something, as a primary source of social ills. If society were to take away the elements of society that result from the inequality of private property, only social equality would remain. He also acknowledged that a certain amount of natural inequality would always exist in society, which is ultimately detrimental to society and the cause of social conflict.
Highlights:
- People are basically good but become corrupted by society (like the absolute monarchy in France).
- For Rousseau, the social contract was the path to freedom: people should do what is best for their community.
- The general will (of the people) should direct the state toward the common good. Hence, the good of the community is more important than individual interests.
- His most famous work was The Social Contract.
- JJR questioned authority - absolute monarchy and religion.
- JJR was passionate, he hated political and economic oppression.
- Influenced later revolutionaries, both middle class and socialist.
Quotes:
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains."
"Force does not constitute right... obedience is due only to legitimate powers."
"Free people, remember this maxim: we may acquire liberty, but it is never recovered if it is once lost."
"Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect."
"It is unnatural for a majority to rule, for a majority can seldom be organized and united for specific action, and a minority can."
