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Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality By Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a French Genevan author, philosopher, writer, and composer. Rousseau influenced the Enlightenment across Europe. Rousseau was born in the city-state Geneva. At the time, Geneva was a Protestant associate of the Swiss Confederacy and a Huguenot republic. During Rousseau's 20s, Rousseau dedicated himself to the studying philosophy, as well as mathematics and music. At the age of 27, Rousseau became a tutor in Lyon. Rousseau then moved to Paris. This was to present new system of numbered musical notation to the Academy of Sciences. Rousseau's new system was based on a single line, displaying numbers representing intervals between notes and dots and commas indicating rhythmic values. The Academy rejected Rousseau's new system. In 1755, Rousseau publishes his book Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. In Rousseau's Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, he begins with "humans in their primitive condition. There were no laws, no judges, and all people were equal. But, to preserve their private property, people adopted laws and governors. In result, people jumped not into liberty, but into chains. Civilized humans can no longer live without laws and magistrates. …show more content…

In The Social Contract, Rousseau tries to "harmonize individual liberty with governmental authority. The social contract was basically an agreement on the part of the entire society to be governed by its general will. If any individual wished to follow his own self-interest. He should be compelled to abide by the general will. This means nothing less than he will be forced to be free,"(511). This is because the general will represent the will of the communities. Rousseau argued that liberty was achieved through being forced to follow what is best for the people and that true freedom adheres to laws that is imposed. Liberty is to be found in obedience to a self-imposed

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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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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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The philosophers such as Locke and Rousseau, believed that the governors of society should be responsive and secure rights for the people. With this intention in mind, an individual wouldn’t change society because it is supposed to be built around the individuals. Thus, individuals can not change their society because they don’t have power in numbers, they will be condemned by society if they try, and they shouldn’t need to change society if it is built to represent. An individual can not change society because

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This paper examines both Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Madison remark concerning ‘ factions ’ as the potential destructive social force to the society. To layout and examine, this paper will first outline and discuss on Rousseau’s understanding of factions in The Social Contract,and Madison’s discussion on factionalism in the Federalist Papers 10.But there are many component surrounded with their view’s on ‘factions’,so it is important to consider together. Firstly,I will consider the definition and the element surrounded with their view on factions. With regard to Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Social Contract,he believes that the society can only function to the extent that people have interest in common.

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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.

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The academy of Dijon was extremely pleased with Rousseau’s work and his writing started to gain attention. Later on, Rousseau wrote an essay called A Discourse on Inequality. Rousseau wrote this essay in response to another question proposed by the academy of Dijon. The question asked, “what is the origin of the inequality among mankind; and whether such

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Before commenting on Locke and Rousseau’s policies, one must examine their basis for property, inequality, and

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I have been aware of the arguments presented in the film for a long time, and the opposition we face as Christians with regard to our Biblical stance around homosexual relationships and marriage. This film reminded me that we are facing and will be facing persecution for our beliefs at an increasing rate. It also reminded me that while we should remain vigilant in trying to uphold our convictions, we are to demonstrate the Holy Spirit indwelling us. More than anything homosexuals should know we love them, our position with regard to their lifestyle- comes secondary.

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On the other hand, Werther takes an extremely Romantic approach, with his life and experiences demonstrating the limitations of a rational society. In Discourse on the Origin of Moral Inequality, Rousseau rationally determines that the emergence of society and the invention of property directly cause moral inequality between people, specifically, the rich and the poor. First, he establishes the state of nature as a basic system, with no complex morality or rationality involved, unlike the states of nature described by Hobbes and Locke. At the most fundamental degree, Rousseau places mankind at the same level as other animals.

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau,an 18th century writer whose expansion into political and self-discovery literature became a portal for expressing his standpoint on human inequality, arguably set ablaze the beginning of the French Revolution. Rousseau promptly divides inequality into 2 extraneous categories in his Discourse on the Origins of Inequality among Mankind: natural and moral. Natural (also physical) inequality deals with the differences between men that are solely under the control of nature, such as weight, height, gender, appearance, strength, race, etc. Au contraire, moral inequality stems from differences spawned from greed and instinctual human behaviour, with causes and consequences such as unjust law systems, corrupt government structure, gender inequality, racism, etc.

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Rousseau was famous for thinking that were better off in a state of nature because we were goo in compassionate and we had not been exposed to vanity of sin though the corrupt ways of society. He felt that with just the basic passion such as self- love, pity and empathy for others. He felt that through the emergence of modern civilization, a new type of self-love was introduced to the people, one that was vain and started unnecessary competition. He believed that we should be moving towards a time in which we would be “noble savages” such as our ancestors because it was innocent and noble were rather than be moving towards a modernized

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“This right does not come from nature, it is therefore founded upon convention”. Rousseau does not view society in the same light as Durkheim. He does not believe that society is the savior of humans and that there is no real self without it. Unlike Durkheim, Rousseau believes that the only natural society is the traditional family and that any other form is forged out of convention. Rousseau mentions that when parents are done raising their child and that child is no longer dependent, but chooses to stay then the family is together out if convention and is then unnatural.

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Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau have become known as three of the most prominent political theorists in the world today. Their philosophies and innovative thinking is known worldwide and it has influenced the creation of numerous new governments. All three thinkers agree on the idea of a social contract but their opinions differ on how the social contract is established and implemented within each society. These philosophers state, that in order for the social contract to be successful people need to give up certain freedoms in order to secure fundamental protections from the state, henceforth the state then has certain responsibilities to their citizens. Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau all believe that before men were governed we all lived in a state of nature.

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A key political theorist influencing the initial outbreak of the French Revolution is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The Social Contract, written by Rousseau, provided the rights the French people initially demanded. In the Social Contract, Rousseau delegitimizes absolute monarchies and popularizes rights of

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