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Did Jean-Jacques Rousseau Contribute To The Enlightenment?

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The United States was created off the idea of a free nation. These ideas were known as the enlightenment. The enlightenment was an intellectual vast movement taken place during the 18th century. During the enlightenment period the rich built salons in their houses to share music and the arts with others. This era also filled itself with many exceptional people such as John Locke, Adam Smith, Rousseau, Paine, Montesquieu, Beccaria, and Hobbes, all of them with new insightful thoughts of their own. If it was not for our founding fathers and their philosophies the United States would not be an outstanding wonderful country it is today. Thomas Hobbes is known as one of the first modern western thinkers of his time period. Hobbes believed …show more content…

Rousseau wanted to go by the majority rules government whatever the majority of the people wanted should become a law. Rousseau felt that the education systems was not good and that it needed to be change (Rousseau wanted to abolish education). Rousseau wanted people to learn from the world first hand not through a book. Rousseau believed that children should be allowed to express their emotion so they can become a “well-rounded and freethinking individual” (power point). Rousseau’s educational plan was seen as “impractical” (power point). Rousseau’s idea of individual freedom made itself known throughout the United States and Europe. He completely disagreed with absolute power and the government and religion mixing. Beccaria believed if you were accused of a crime you should still have rights. Beccaria was against the death penalty he thought it was wrong, he felt the only way to reduce crime was education. He also played an importance to a couple of our Ten amendments #6 the right to a speedy trial meaning you have the right to see a judge in a timely manner. #8 cruel and unusual punishment he believed that the punishment should be the same for everyone who did the same crime. Beccaria’s idea flourished throughout the country ultimately changing European and American criminal

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During the American Revolution many of the ideas of government and individual rights came from the Enlightenment. The ideas of Locke and Hobbes inspired Thomas Paine when writing the Common Sense pamphlet and leaders when writing the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Paine's pamphlet used the ideas of Hobbes to persuade colonists to gain independence from the King. Hobbes believed in a negative government, selfishness, and how people are greedy for power. Paine shows the colonists how the King is controlling, greedy, and only wants power.

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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.

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Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin were two individuals who shaped a new and modern way of life for the common people during the 17th century Enlightenment movement due to the numerous essays, and theories that were put forth by the two. The enlightenment movement happened during the 17th and throughout the 18th century in what is now Europe. It mostly questioned the views and ideas concerning, reason, humanity, and the most coveted topic God. The doubts of the philosophers led to changes. Tremendous improvements and changes were made in the domains of philosophy (how one sees the world), art, and most importantly politics.

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812 Words | 4 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.

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He based his beliefs off of the ideas that all men are created good-natured, but society corrupts them. Unlike some other French Enlightenment thinkers, Rousseau believed that the Social contract was not a willing agreement. He also said that no man should be forced to give up their natural rights to a ruler. He came up with the solution that people should “give up” their natural rights to the community for the public’s good. He believed in a democratic government.

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Rousseau, one of the most leading philosophers during the Enlightenment, had indeed left many of legendries behind. Not only his writings had caused many of the reactions at that time, but also influenced many writers’ aspects of the French Revolution and the overall understanding of inequality and the General Will. As one of the chief political theorists during the French Revolution who was also influenced by Rousseau’s ideas, Abbe Sieyes, published the pamphlet, “What is the Third Estate?” in 1789. This pamphlet was one of the documents that changed the world and lit the flame toward the French Revolution, as characterized by Joe Janes, a University of Washington professor (Janes).

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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.

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Rousseau takes more of a philosophical approach to the flaws with society and how the enlightenment attempts to fix these flaws. He says the only thing that separates man from animal is our sense of perfectibility. This in part promotes change in people in response to a change in the surrounding environment.   As men come into contact with each other more frequently societies begin to form and the human mind begins to develop.

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The United States was built among some of the greatest minds the world had ever seen, and to present times there have been comparably few to ever duplicate their genius. While history likes classifying these men into one unified chunk of American History, the Founding Fathers were actually a conglomerate of diverse thinkers. Some of the men believed in the philosophies of John Locke, who stated that humans were born neither good or bad, but with a blank slate. Many other men followed the human theories of Thomas Hobbes and the religion of Calvin, which viewed mankind a naturally flawed and more susceptible to a state of war. Though not all men agreed, the philosophies of Hobbes was the essential belief system that formed the ground on which

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At the time of its publication, Rousseau had withdrawn from Paris and was living with a noblewoman. His location allowed him to write with little concern for the controversy surrounding his two previous Discourses, and the period was one of the most productive of his life (Delaney). He wrote as a way to address the ideas he had been accumulating from years traveling around Europe. His observations led him to argue that the rights of the people are violated in a civil society, and this should be changed under a social contract. After observing numerous governments, he concludes that people should only be governed by the Sovereign, a body with one collective will.

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I agree with Jean- Jacques Rousseau and his ideas about how the society should be run. One of my main reasons for agreeing with him is because of how he explained the savages are in a state of nature as free, equal, peaceful, and happy until they own property. When people owned or claimed property he argued that inequality, murder, and war would result. Some of the other philosophers also thought that people needed to own property to be able to vote, were as Rousseau obviously doesn’t agree with that. He thinks that the powerful and rich are frauds and stole the land belonging to other people.

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If something is contrary to the general will, then it is contrary to the good of the society. It?s the person force to be free? However, that Rousseau is writing a formula for totalitarianism. A tyrannical despot rules a totalitarian government, and has the power to force any citizen to do whatever they government want. Nowhere in The Social Contract does Rousseau advise a leader to have such much power.

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In conclusion, the Enlightenment was vital to the American Revolution and the creation of American Government. The Enlightenment beliefs that influenced the American Revolution were natural rights, the social contract, and the right to overthrow the government if the social contract was violated. The Enlightenment beliefs that aided to the creation of the American government were separation of powers, checks and balances, and limited government. As stated before, without the Enlightenment there would not have been a revolution, resulting in no American Government. The Enlightenment’s influence on the creation of America is irrefutable.

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Jean-jacques Rousseau was a famous french philospher, writer and composer from the 18th centery. His philoshofical views and ideas where recongised by many different people from all around the world. Jeans most famous views,quotes and books where mainly on the french revoulution, the overall devolopment of modern politics and education.one of rousseaus most famouse quotes was “what wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness” this quote along with many others inspired many people to do good instead of bad and for this is jean rousseau was thought to be one of the most famous philosophers to have ever lived. jean-jacues rousseau was born on june 28th,1712 in geneva switzerland.life during this time was very different from today because you would only get 13 years of education until u where sent of to work,however some

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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.

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