Rousseau's Discourse On Inequalities

In the Second Discourse on Inequality, Jean Jacque Rousseau outlined the origin and development of private property. The formation of the hut is the first step towards the ultimate creation of society as families and communities start to form. Unlike savage man who’s primary motivation was self-preservation, civilized man embraced amour propre as they begin to compare their strengths and abilities of others. Although Rousseau argues that the invention of private property is not natural, it is inevitable as it becomes a necessity due to certain circumstances such as metallurgy and agriculture. Furthermore, the inequalities of property established a division between the wealthy versus the poor and played a significant role in the creation of …show more content…
Although complicated tasks were divided among workers, the workers become more dependent on one another. The division of labor among individuals allowed them to transform land into property, however an unequal distribution of resources emerged as not all individuals held the same talents and abilities as one another. Therefore, the use of resources were unequal since some individuals could benefit by being naturally gifted at their craft while others could find it difficult to survive in a nonsufficient market depending the needs of that community. The institution of property, according to Rousseau, is what adds to the political and social inequalities. It is important to note that Rousseau does not necessarily believe that property is the cause of these inequalities rather he points to the inequality of property as the main driven force behind …show more content…
The first revolution focused on man using resources and tools to create the hut and eventually a family. As technology developed, humans altered their behavior and adapted to a new environment with more defining gender roles that not only made women more subservient men, but also promoted social inequality. Unlike savage man who dedicated his time to either searching for food or sleeping, civilized man had more leisure time as the tasks that savage man once undertook were now being shared among men and women. Dancing and celebrations at village festivals allowed individuals to interact with one another, however that led to the inevitable embrace of amour propre. While savage man only cared about self-preservation, civilized man started to compare himself to others and sought the approval what others thought of him. Although Rousseau states that the development of private property occurred by mere chance, he explains the role that these revolutions played in influencing the social and political structures of modern society. The division of labor, for example, reinforced the social inequalities of men as an equal distribution of property could not be rewarded to each man. In an effort to prevent a war between the wealthy and the poor, a political society was formed with the poor believing that their freedom would be