I have endeavoured to trace the origins and progress of inequality, and the institution and abuse of political societies, as far as these are capable of being deduced from the nature of man merely by the light of reason, and independently of those sacred dogmas which give the sanction of divine right to sovereign authority. It follows from this survey, that there is hardly any inequality in the state of nature, all the inequality which now prevails owes its strength and growth to the development of our faculties and the advance of the human mind, and becomes at last permanent and legitimate by the establishment of property and laws.
This quote is essentially a concise summation of the various concepts, which Jean Jacques Rousseau discusses in Discourse on the Origin and the Foundations of Inequality among men. The discourse outlines the psychological, political and social effects that modern society has had on the evolution of human nature; it also depicts how these effects came about. Rousseau explains that human evolution and the increase of inequality between people are interconnected. His discourse results in the enlightenment of how modern people were created, whilst voicing his views regarding the inequality implemented by modern political establishments. Rousseau tries to imagine people in their once natural state, disregarding the traditional influence of biblical rationalisation.
When examining the beginning of inequality amongst people Rousseau also poses the question as to whether or not this present inequality, is in fact inevitable and permissible by natural law. Basically, natural law is a set of laws given by God for man's preservation. These laws decide what is right, and the way things have to be for all people. The issue that the Discourse attempts to answer is if inequality is in fact authorised by natural law. That is, whether differences between people are naturally occuring and positive things.
How does Rousseau conceive the relationship between democracy and freedom? ... The general will is essential to Rousseau's idea of freedom. ... Rousseau states that "so perfect a government is not suited to men". ... Ultimately democracy is not necessary for freedom under Rousseau's definition of the concept. ... Rousseau envisages a state where people think of the whole before themselves. ...
Rousseau's biography is important in the romanticism, it reflect the philosophical ideas of romanticism. ... Rousseau was free to expresses his natural feelings and emotion as a human being. ... Rousseau's ideas reflect the philosophical ideas of romanticism. ... Rousseau udestood it and respect it. ... Rousseau" s ideas reflect philosophical ideas of romanticism. ...
Rousseau Jean Jacques Rousseau was one of the many great minds in the eighteenth and nineteenth century who made many contributions to society. ... I agree totally with this thought of Rousseau. ... Rousseau believed in the "Noble Savage." ... To me, this is where Rousseau contradicts himself. ... I do not agree with some of Rousseau's theories. ...
Who influenced David and Rousseau? ... Without knowledge of Rousseau's own personal history it is hard to appreciate the intensely moralistic character and relevance of Rousseau's political writings. "Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) became famous as a "French" political philosopher and educationalist. ... "Rousseau never abandoned the republican ideals of his native city. ... It made it possible for most of Rousseau's social group to take the existence of society for granted". ...
As a result of this blame he takes upon himself, Rousseau develops a deep hatred of himself. ... Rousseau views his birth, and the subsequent death of his mother, as a grave misfortune. ... Rousseau describes his conception as "the unhappy fruit of [his father's] return" (19). His birth is not the celebratory occasion for Rousseau as it is for others. ... Because Rousseau sees Mlle. ...
(pg 12) Passion and feeling, for Rousseau, preceded reason and thought. ... The grounds on which Rousseau's account lie seem to be contradictory. This is a valid concern, Rousseau recognizes this as well and he addresses it in his essay. ... Rousseau, in his essay, brings several notions about language into question. ... Rousseau also discusses how the transmittance of passions through language, alters those passions. ...
One of the first and most important questions Rousseau asks is " How can one know inequality without knowing man?" ... Rousseau's enquiry will not deal with historical truths, but with hypothetical and conditional reasoning. ... From his picture of a savage man Rousseau derives the two basic principles of his Discourse: pity and self-preservation. ... According to Rousseau, early society was the happiest epoch. ... Rousseau measures a society by how much freedom it manages to deliver its citizens. ...
