The roots of inequality have to be found on property and the inequalities of patrimony. However, the idea that the man was perfectible can be interpreted as a possibility of progress, a notion that was new at the time.įrom this natural state, Rousseau formulates a paradox: “Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains”. Rousseau has been criticized for his optimism about human nature and his accusation on the corruption of society. Hobbes advocated for a power that could assure security to the members of society whereas Rousseau was concerned about the liberty of the individuals. They are perfectible through observation and have a natural sense of freedom.īy stating this about the nature of men before society, Rousseau goes against the idea of the philosopher Hobbes that, naturally, man is a wolf to man. They show a natural sense of self-preservation but also compassion. These individuals are not yet in society. To answer this question, Rousseau starts from the beginning: he imagined the first men in their natural state. This association of cultivated men had proposed to write about the origins of inequalities and whether they could be justified. The first famous work of Rousseau is an answer to a contest launched by the Academia of Dijon. Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men, 1755
Along the way I won’t miss the opportunity to tell you about Rousseau and his time. I will explain you why they became successful and why they remain important.
I propose to introduce you to his 5 most important books. Rejected by many, some say he became misanthropist and close from madness at the end of his life. His independent spirit made him a lot of enemies among both the conservatives and the philosopher of the Enlightenment. The opinion about him was very mixed at the time he lived. In literature he was a game-changer and was a precursor of the major changes of the XIXth century. He was not the kind of philosopher that is read only by his peers but by a very diverse public. What a destiny for a man from a modest background who learned everything by himself, and who was not even French but from Geneva!Īs a historian, I am fascinated by how much an impact he had on the society of his time and even in the decades following his death. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) can be considered one of the founding fathers of the French republic and democracy.
Rousseau painted by Quentin de la Tour in 1753.
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