How Did Rousseau Contribute To Totalitarianism

1. Rousseau’s political theory definitely could lead to totalitarianism because he is suggesting that a government control practically all aspects of its citizens’ lives in order to save them from themselves and their corrupt nature. Because Rousseau claims that people are “spoiled” by civil society, and that civil society does nothing to protect the equality or individual freedoms of man, he believes that it is government who has the duty and the power to force people to act moral in order to achieve Rousseau’s idea of a virtuous society. It is Rousseau’s goal to use the power of the state to suppress selfishness and to force people into social harmony. Rousseau desires a governmental system of direct democracy in order to prevent a government

Rousseau mentions that because of these circumstances, the people and the government will be in contention with one another, with the government sometimes acting against the general will of the people. In this case, Rousseau suggests the formation of a tribune in order to mediate these conflicts. Furthermore, Rousseau’s governing system necessitates that the people participate in attending assemblies, and that these people need to vote not according to their own interests, but according to what is best for everyone. Rousseau does suggest that there be a system of checks in a government, but unlike other proponents of a system of check and balances, Rousseau believes that the government should be checked, not by other parts of the government, but by the populace who, along with a proper political education, will, in Rousseau’s mind, have the best interests of the community in mind. There are many problems with the idea and institution of a direct democracy, however. For example, there is nothing to guarantee that people will educate themselves or else attempt to participate in governing