Rousseau And The Social Contract - 1503 Words

Rousseau The Social Contract The Social Contract is a political work written by Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau that theorized the best way to establish a sovereign political community in the face of the problems within a divided commercial society. The Social Contract helped inspire political reforms or revolutions in Europe; most notably in France. Furthermore, Rousseau’s argument was against the idea that Monarchs were divinely empowered to legislate; in his opinion only the people who are sovereign have that all-powerful right. Rousseau’s aim in writing The Social Contract is to determine whether there can be a legitimate political authority, since peoples’ interaction with government left them worse off with their freedoms â€Å"restrained† by the society created by their political leaders. With this stated purpose I believe that Rousseau’s ideas are to a great extent liberal and cry out for the people of this time to take a stand and voice their will towards a corrupt system of government and gain back their natural freedoms. â€Å"Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains. Those who think themselves the masters of others are indeed greater slaves than they† (Rousseau, pg. 49). With Rousseau’s beginning statements he establishes an unjust link between government and the people it governs revealing that the natural rights of the people have been either taken or modified to fit the agendas of men who are slaves to the power they mandate. These â€Å"chains† thatShow MoreRelatedRousseau s The Social Contract1588 Words   |  7 PagesThe following texts, Rousseau s The Social Contract, Marx’s Private Property and Communism, Estranged Labor and Money, all differentiate between a general will, and a more personal, individual will. However, Rousseau’s and Marx’s theories of a general will, or collective being have discrepancies in both the origin and implications of g eneral will and individual will. Rousseau defines general will as a collective desire to advance society towards a common goal. However, Rousseau warns that ignoringRead MoreThe Social Contract By Jean Jacques Rousseau1271 Words   |  6 Pages ‘The Social Contract’ was written in 1762 by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Often viewed as one of the most important philosophers during the Enlightenment Era, Rousseau wrote ‘The Social Contract’ to explain his theory of how society originated, as well as how much authority government should have over those under its power. He also explained why people within a society should have more authority when it comes to establishing laws. Rousseau concluded that Legislative and Executive bodies must be establishedRead MoreThe Rousseau s Thesis And Social Contract1548 Words   |  7 PagesTo better understand Rousseau’s thesis and social contract he proposed, we must first understand why Rousseau felt compelled to write and his main criticism of society during the 18th century. In sum, Rousseau argued that states (specifically France, though never explicitly stated) have not protected man’s right to freedom or equality. Rousseau began The Social Contract i n dramatic fashion. He wrote, â€Å"man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains† (1). This quote is still used today, and isRead MoreThe Magna And Rousseau Theory Of The Social Contract884 Words   |  4 PagesMagna Carta vs Rousseau The Magna Carta and Rousseau theory of the social contract are both different and similar in many ways. The Magna Carta protects a certain group of people. And the Rousseau theory of the social contract is to protect everyone. But they also have a lot of similarities such as the fact that they both put restrains on the government. Magna Carta The Magna Carta is a series of documents that represent an important step in the progression of governance in western civilizationRead MoreThe Social Contract: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau1377 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Contract The three philosophers, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were three key thinkers of political philosophy. The three men helped develop the social contract theory into what it is in this modern day and age. The social contract theory was the creation of Hobbes who created the idea of a social contract theory, which Locke and Rousseau built upon. Their ideas of the social contract were often influenced by the era in which they lived and social issues thatRead MoreThe Social Contract : Hobbes Vs. Rousseau1457 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Contract: Hobbes vs. Rousseau Since the beginning of the modern age, governments and states have existed in order to maintain moral law. Essentially these institutions are for the greater good of humanity. However, little thought is ever given to how humans lived without governments. Each and every person in the modern age is born into a state, and becomes a part of that state regardless of their will. The concept that humans are born into a state is derived from the social contract. TheRead MoreThe Social Contract By Jean- Jacques Rousseau1512 Words   |  7 Pages The Social Contract by Jean- Jacques Rousseau can be seen as the foundation of the American political system. This is only true if the state believes to only serve the will of the people and that they are the full political power. They are the ones who give the power, or take away the power. I think that this is relevant when Rousseau brings up the general will and the will of all. Before I go into that I think it is important to go through the difference between what the general will is and theRead MoreRousseau And Hobbes And Rousseau On Individual And Differing Social Contracts2105 Words   |  9 Pagescreated. Rousseau and Hobbes and their individual and differing social contracts are no exception to this. Each of the theorists believed their specific social contracts would best provide the solutions to the political problems they address. Both create complex, sometimes contradicting diagnosis s of the individual problem they address. As with most pieces of writing, the setting the author was in when writing it often has great amounts of influence. This is true with both social contracts and problemsRead MoreHobbes And Rousseau On The Social Contract Theory1625 Words   |  7 Pagesand Rousseau on the Social Contract Theory The social contract theory focuses on the origin of states and laws, and the impact of regulated communities or states on individuals. All conceptions of the social contract theory can be harmonized to the individual desire for safety or security and the demand for fulfillment through a collective agreement which transforms the human dimension into an organized society from the primordial state. Rousseau was the first philosopher to coin the social contractRead MoreAn Analysis Of Rousseau s On The Social Contract 898 Words   |  4 PagesFinding Meaning in Rousseau In â€Å"On the Social Contract,† Jean-Jacques Rousseau famously declares, â€Å"Man was/is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.† In this essay, I will attempt to explain this famous quote of Rousseau’s. Moreover, through a careful exposition of â€Å"On the Social Contract,† I intend to explain Rousseau’s proposed solution to the conundrum of freedom in society. The preliminary investigation into Rousseau originates with an account of his assertion that, â€Å"Man was/is born