The Life and Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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An essay on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which discusses his works, "The Social Contract" and "Discourse on the Origin of Inequality." It shows how Rousseau's doctrine had a profound impact on French revolutionary thought, as well as socialist thought. Moreover, many believe he anticipated, rather than influenced, many insights of modern social psychology.

From the Paper:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived from 1712-1778 during the height of the French Enlightenment. In 1762, he wrote "The Social Contract" examining many of the difficulties concerning freedom and authority to determine how freedom might be possible in civil society. He believed that in the state of nature humans enjoy the physical freedom of having no restraints on behavior (Rousseau). However, by entering into the social contract, humans place restraints on behavior, thus making it possible to live in a community. Rousseau contends that by giving up physical freedom mankind gained the civil freedom of being able to think rationally, although, as humans were good in a state of nature, corruption must thus be born from civilization. Rousseau sought to harmonize one's individual need for expression with society's need to ensure the well-being of community life (Rousseau)."

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