ipl-logo

Analyse The Relationship Between Rousseau And Freedom

1314 Words6 Pages

How does Rousseau conceive the relationship between democracy and freedom? What are the main merits of and problems with his approach?

Although the Social Contract promises freedom to the members of the state this freedom does not automatically include democracy. Democracy is suggested as a possible form of government alongside aristocracy and monarchy whereas today it is arguable that democracy is seen as the only form which denotes a free people. Freedom could well be defined as "having a say in political decision making" but Rousseau 's idea of freedom is from one 's own natural desires so it is possible to be a good citizen and lead a more fulfilling life. Rousseau does not believe that man naturally knows what is best for him "the public must be taught to recognise what it desires". He goes further to state that there is right way for society to be run and that this is the "general will", the right course of action which the …show more content…

In the Social Contract the supreme ruler of the state is the sovereign which is all of the people collectively. The sovereign rules as according to the general will. If this was taken to mean, what most of the people chose then democracy would be indeed necessary however the concept requires what is best for the people as a whole to take place. It could be different from the will of all as a collection of personal preferences if the majority preference was not seen as in the best interests of the state. Rousseau suggests that this would occur if each person did not consider their own personal preference but what would be best for everyone. Condorcet praised this system as he calculated that if each person had a better than even chance of knowing the general will then it would emerge every time. This however is a huge assumption and there is also the question of whether a general will exists at all. There is not necessarily one single solution which best fits society as a

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast The Actions Of James Madison And Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    1376 Words  | 6 Pages

    On the other hand, Rousseau, his view of the problem of factionalism started from a conception that the factionalism would affect to the discernment of the general will of the people,then,the interest of the society as a whole would not attain if the general will was contaminate with faction. Secondly,I will consider the solution that they use to deal with the problem arising from fraction. Both of them raised distinctly different solutions to deal with,however,they had a common intent to quell against the faction. With regard to Rousseau’s view ,the solution which was able to deal with the problem arising from fraction was the direct democracy.

    Read More

  • Common Sense By Thomas Paine And The Virginia Declaration Of Independence

    1365 Words  | 6 Pages

    America is a country whose ideals are based on freedom and democracy. However these ideas are not original, in fact many of the common ideas found in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence resemble the writings of people in the past. Even early documents pivotal to American independence such as Common Sense by Thomas Paine and the Virginia Declaration of Independence can be traced down to these early documents. The age of enlightenment brought several philosophers with new ideas, such as John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. The works of these men helped to inspire a new way of thinking, towards freedom and democracy, the founding fathers embraced these ideas.

    Read More

  • Scientific Revolution DBQ

    1225 Words  | 5 Pages

    In any case of failure to protect the rights, the people were in their complete right to overthrow the government (Doc 2 & Pg. 630) In agreement, Rousseau believed that the government’s power also comes from the consent of the people, which he included in his book, The Social Contract. (Pg. 632) Rousseau included much more ideas that incorporated political aspects, but he also his thought about

    Read More

  • Creation Of The United States Dbq Essay

    571 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rousseau’s beliefs coincided with the beliefs of other Enlightenment thinkers. This is shown when he writes, “Duty and interest thus equally require the two contracting parties [the people and the government] to aid each other mutually” (Document 3). In that period of history, it was typical for people to be ruled by a monarch and they had very little say, if any, in the laws and policies that impacted their day to day life. Rousseau felt that the system was outdated and it made citizens feel as if they were living in someone else’s home rather than their own, so he theorized that by fabricating a system in which the government and the people are forced to work together, it creates a sense of unity and equality. This works because “ … an offense against one of its members is an offense against the body politic.

    Read More

  • Locke And Rousseau's Government: The Primary Ideas Of Government

    1677 Words  | 7 Pages

    The Primary objective of all leaders should be to control citizens. A society that allows authority to be challenged will never succeed. This source depicts an authoritarian or totalitarian view of what a governing body should look like. The author suggests that the primary objective of government should be the “control of the citizens”, and therefore that the individuals should entirely obey said government.

    Read More

  • American Colonization And Its Impact On Society From 1200 To 1750

    1498 Words  | 6 Pages

    In response to the British’s intolerable acts during this time people desired a government based on popular sovereignty or the idea that a government's power ultimately comes from the consent of the people. The political treatise "The Social Contract," written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, explores the idea that the people are sovereign and that the legal power of a state arises from the agreement of the governed in order to build a more stable and just society. In this work, Rousseau makes the case that the common good should serve as any society's guiding concept and that the government should be in charge of advancing

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Social Contract By Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    1012 Words  | 5 Pages

    However, by doing so, we retain our individuality and freedom. In chapter 6, of the social contract Rousseau argues that people need to give up their individual freedom and unite for the common good of all in order to overcome the natural threats to their own existence. It is their own existence that motivates them to give up their individual freedom and unite. The problem with the social contract lies in the opposing forces of individual freedom versus the sovereign that was formed when they united.

    Read More

  • Enlightenment Dbq Essay

    1229 Words  | 5 Pages

    During the Enlightenment many new ideas inspired the government and the people to come together to better society. People such as John Locke, Beccaria and many others had different ideas of how to reform the government during the Enlightenment period, which lasted from 1685-1815. The ideas created by the philosophers of this time included new beliefs and new laws. This ultimately leads to new relations forming between the government and the people. The propositions proposed by the Enlightenment altered the association between government and society by uniting the ideas of the government and the people, promoting the tolerance of all religions, and giving justice to the people.

    Read More

  • Rousseau's Influence On Abbe Sieyes

    877 Words  | 4 Pages

    If examine this statement closer, one could find the core values of Rousseau’s utopian version of the General Will. The first core value of the General Will Rousseau had suggested was that it was a collective will from everyone. Indeed, Rousseau believed that “Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will” (Rousseau 8). In other words, the General Will Rousseau was advocating was the will that “both come from all and apply to all.” Correspondingly, Sieyes applied this idea and indicated that the law was at the center of the nation and the will of the Nation is the result of individual will (Lualdi 116), which both suggested that the General Will should come from all.

    Read More

  • Rousseau Vs Thomas Paine Essay

    1232 Words  | 5 Pages

    He justifies the need for democracy, aristocracy and monarchy depending on location. The three philosophers use their judgment and prior knowledge on each other’s work to validate an ideal society, especially for the uprising continent of America. Governments are an established institution in every society. Though there are multiple types of governments, their purpose is fundamental to determining the influence on a civilization.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Jean Jacques Rousseau's Understanding Of Factions

    1324 Words  | 6 Pages

    And it can be attained only by reaching the general will which is expressed by the sovereign that is owned by any particular individual which later will create the form of law. Moreover, he also stated that there is the difference between the general will and the “ will of all ”.The “ will of all ” is only the accumulation of every thing that the individual want. But the the general will aim at the common good which achieve what is best for all which is the way of making the decision that he suggests.

    Read More

  • The Confessions Of Jean-Jacques Rousseau Analysis

    1355 Words  | 6 Pages

    The autobiography, The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, provides a vivid insight into the complicated, yet exhilarating, life of Rousseau. The beginning of his life was filled with misfortunes, such as the death of his mother which was quickly followed by a distraught and self-sabotaging attitude which his father adopted. This led to his father’s involvement in illegal behaviors and the subsequent abandonment of Rousseau. His mother’s death was the catalyst for his journey to meet multiple women who would later affect his life greatly. The Influence of Miss Lamberciers, Madame Basile, Countess de Vercellis, and Madam de Warens on the impressionable adolescent mind of Rousseau led to the positive cultivation of self-discovery and the creation of new experiences, as well as the development of inappropriate sexual desires and attachments towards women.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Rousseau's Essay 'Confession'

    1365 Words  | 6 Pages

    [hook] During the eighteenth century, after the revolution, a famous author, Rousseau, wrote an essay “Confession”, where he explored himself, even the most embarrassing moments he experienced, by telling readers how he behaved and exposing how he felt in that way. As he said readers should not feel shame of or blame him of what he did. Even we should encourage and send applause to him because his confession is not only about how he acted in the society but also what it did to him. Instead of judging him, the more valuable thing is to understand what motivated his action. Here is an interesting story in his life that he stole the ribbon and framed Marion.

    Read More

  • How Did Rousseau Influence The French Revolution

    810 Words  | 4 Pages

    The French Revolution was undoubtedly influenced by the political theorists of the Enlightenment. The ideas of two French political theorists in particular are easily seen throughout the French Revolution, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Baron Montesquieu. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s thoughts and texts, such as the Social Contract, instilled the entitlement of basic human rights to all men. Rousseau’s concepts on rights combined with Baron Montesquieu’s ideas on government provided the backbone of a radical movement in the French Revolution known as the Terror. When one delves into the beginnings of the French Revolution, the motives and actions of the National Assembly, and the Terror of the French Revolution, one can obviously see the influence of two Enlightenment political theorists, Rousseau and Montesquieu.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Rousseau's General Will

    1071 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Rousseau’s political thoughts general will is at the heart of social contract. General will is the most fundamental principle in Rousseau’s social contract. Social contract gets its legitimacy through only the application of general will. But what this “general will” actually is? To Rousseau general will is not simply the sum total of all individual wills, rather it is the collective will of the people of a community.

    Read More

More about Analyse The Relationship Between Rousseau And Freedom

Open Document