Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Paper Summary:

This paper deals with the themes, concepts and approaches of Rousseau which distinguish him as a modern political thinker. It is divided in three parts: the first, dealing with Rousseau's conceptualization of the state; the second, dealing about his conceptualization of man and the third deals with his approach in formulating his assumptions. All of the above are discussed and compared with classical and medieval conceptualizations to form the sense of modernity found in Rousseau's works.

Outline:
Introduction
A New Concern for the Origin of the State and Inequality
The Savage Man of Rousseau
The Approach of the Heart
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"One theme of discussion initiated by modern political philosophers is that of the inquiry in the origin of the state. Rousseau himself was one of them who made such an inquiry. He thought of a social contract aiming to explain how the state came about. The Social Contract formulated by Rousseau is grounded on an individual's own will. It is divided into four books, the first of which addresses the questions of the nature of political society, the second of those of the nature of sovereignty, the third the institutions of the government, and the fourth, extraordinary structures designed to keep the government from being corrupted (Strong, 1994, p. 79). It is not surprising to find liberty as the focal point of his arguments, for if you look into his life, you'll see that he himself had a phobia against any kind of restraint or authority (Neill, 1949, p. 167). He also argued that civil societies came into existence as individuals pledged themselves to live together as members of a single political community."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cranston, M. (1991). The Noble Savage. Chicago: University of Chicago.
• Neill, T. (1949). Makers of the Modern Mind. Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company.
• Rousseau, J. (1762). The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right. In Cole, C.D.H. (Trans.), The Social Contract and Discourses By Jean-Jacques Rousseau. New York: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd..
• __________, (1754). Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. In Cole, C.D.H. (Trans.), The Social Contract and Discourses By Jean-Jacques Rousseau. New York: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd..
• Strauss, L., 1959, What is Political Philosphy? And Other Studies. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

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