Jean-Jacques Rousseau

1712, Jean-Jacques Rousseau helped to vocalize the Enlightenment ideals of natural rights, equality, and the importance of individuals living in communion with one another. Born in Swiss-Geneva, Rousseau came from humble beginnings, raised differently than many of the aristocratic philosophes of the time (Rousseau, 284). Many of his arguments, such as the importance of the general will and the importance of the return to nature could be attributed to his humble and common upbringing. Rousseau…

“Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains” (Rousseau). This apparent paradox was the first sentence in The Social Contract, and shares Jean Jacques Rousseau’s thoughts on the balance between freedom and confinement, which we will see as an ongoing theme throughout the book. In other words, Rousseau theorizes about the best way to establish a political community while addressing the flaws of a government that implements natural authority and force. Rousseau’s political views can be best…

equally to men. This was specifically talked about by two enlightenment thinkers named Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft. They both have strong different beliefs on women and their purpose in society. The enlightenment thinker Rousseau wrote “Duties of Women”. Rousseau believes that women should not be treated equally to men. Men and women have different standards set for them according to Rousseau. Meaning that…

The Social Contract is a primary source by Jean Jacques Rousseau, a philosophical writer that influenced the world but most specifically the French Revolution and development of political philosophy. Jean Jacques Rousseau uses a speculative tone demonstrating his personal opinion on the solution to the problem of the time: freedom. The reading of this document advocates for the powerful topic of that time period of which aided philosophical momentum for the glorious revolution. The basis of the…

John Locke and Jean-Jacque Rousseau present themselves as very distinct philosophers. They both use similar terms, such as, the State of Nature, but conceptualize them differently. In my paper, I will argue that Locke’s argument on his proposed state of nature and civil society is more realistic in our working society than Rousseau’s theory. At the core of their theories, Locke and Rousseau both agree that we all begin in a State of Nature in that everyone should be “equal one amongst another…

SYNTHESIS #3 – Locke and Rousseau People need government. The authority of civil society provides protection and is necessary because it is able to help better the natural state of people. The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke and Basic Political Writings by Jean-Jacques Rousseau are two works that deal with political philosophy support this theory that government arises as a means of rectifying some of the shortcomings found in the state of nature. Locke and Rousseau have different…

of Inequality Among Men, Jean-Jacque Rousseau discusses his theories about the sources of inequality in humankind. He, along with other authors, has much evidence to argue that the injustices in society came about as a result of the formation of civilization. In his Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau begins by identifying the qualities of the natural man. Throughout his writing, it is this natural man, oftentimes…

an AK-47, or being a black man and being able to walk freely without getting killed by the police. The idea of freedom has progressed in modern history, but in the last century that freedom has not been applied equally. John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were two men who talked about the role of the government. Locke wrote heavily about the right to own property. He said that the sole responsibility of government was to preserve the right of property. He also talked about a social…

In John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s theories, the state of nature is pre-political. It aims to explain the origin of the political order and the legitimacy of human society. Men in Locke’s theory give up their perfect freedom in the state of nature to secure the advantages of civilized society (Locke 495). The role of the government then is to protect the natural rights of all namely man’s property and liberty (Locke 493). According to Rousseau, men in their natural state have equality and…

are multiple views predominately found through the common theory of social contract, realized by famous thinkers, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke. Each of these individuals take an attempt in answering how government power should function. Additionally, these individuals elaborate on how said power should affect human living conditions. Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke have different and somewhat opposite positions on the subject of social contract. For this reason it is…