Jean-Jacque Rousseau

This research study will provide an analysis of the political theories of Jean-Jacques Rousseau by discussing four of his works: Discourse of the Sciences and the Arts (1750), Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1754), Discourse on Political Economy (1755), and his seminal work of political theory, On the Social Contract published in 1762. As these works illustrate, Rousseau's political philosophy was motivated more by his passions and emotions than by reason and logic. He was more interested in describing what the ideal state should be than detailing a structure of how this could be achieved. To Rousseau, government was a necessity for the daily execution of civil law, but the direct participation of all members of society was equally important. Rousseau's philosophy also reflects his status in society; he was the first modern political writer who was not a member of the elite class, and as such was excluded from automatically receiving the benefits of the existing order. His belief that all members of society should share equally in its freedom, security and property most likely stems from his background.

During the Age of Enlightenment in which Rousseau was writing, the birth of modern science, government and political philosophy took place. Philosophers rejected the dogmatism of previous times, and placed more value on the individual rights of citizens, on reason and progress than on religion. The natural world was more worthy of examination than the spiritual w

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or contributions to political philosophy. The general will expresses what is best for the state as a whole. Each man has his own will that expresses what is best for him as an individual. The will of the ruler, therefore, must aim at the common good. It is the sum of each individual's will that forms the general will in a healthy state. The first and most important maxim of Legitimate or popular government...of a government that has the good of the populace for its object, is therefore,...to follow the general will in all things. But to follow the general will one must know it, and above all, Properly distinguish it from the private will, beginning with oneself....Since one must be free in order to will, another no less formidable Difficulty is how to secure both the public liberty and the authority of the government (p. 116). The legislator's primary "duty is to conform the laws to the general will." In addition, the primary "rule" of the public economy is that the administration should be in conformity with the laws" since this will ensure that the state will be well governed. (P. 118). Rousseau's advice to governments and rulers is to make the laws beloved so that men will obey them. According to Rousseau, this "was

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