JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU

Question 1

Rousseau’s Radical Republicanism (general will)

Answer 1

• Rousseau introduced the idea of the “general will.” This concept represents the collective will of the people as a whole and is supposed to reflect the common good.
• He was highly critical of the corrupting influence of private property, which, in his view, led to pride, inequality, and social divisions.
• He believed that the “general will” should guide politics, and laws should be created with the common good in mind.

Question 1

Rousseau’s State of Nature

Answer 1

• Rousseau’s concept of the state of nature is in direct contrast to the Hobbesian view. He did not believe that the state of nature was a state of constant warfare and conflict.
• Instead, Rousseau romanticized the state of nature as a happier place where individuals lived in harmony with each other and with nature. He thought that it was the advent of civil society that introduced conflict and inequality.

Question 2

The Other Rousseau: The Anti-Social Individualist (education)

Answer 2

• Rousseau’s writings also reveal another side of his thinking. He celebrated the misunderstood genius who rejects conventional rules and values subjectivism and sentiments.
• In his educational treatise, “Emile,” he advocated for an educational philosophy that allowed children to explore their own creativity rather than being heavily influenced by formal education.
• Rousseau played a significant role in shaping the concept of “childhood” by emphasizing the importance of a child’s natural development.