Rousseau Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality Analysis

Improving Human Society

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, examines the problem with modern political institutions. He attempts to demonstrate how the progression of human reason leads to the corruption of human virtue, and the establishment of modern moral inequality. Rousseau argues that the state of nature is more effective for preserving human society, because humans are able to live equally under the natural sentiments of pity and compassion. Rousseau’s argument for human equality would disapprove of the advances in modern day science and technology. He believes that humans would be more compliant in society, if they remained as inarticulate animals or simple savages.

In Part I of the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, Rousseau examines how savage man is more driven to preserve society, because his desires do not go beyond his most basic physical needs. He states, “for one can desire or fear things only by virtue of the ideas one can have of them, or from the simple impulse of nature; and savage man, deprived of every sort of enlightenment, feels only the passion of this latter sort. His desires do not go beyond his physical needs. The only goods he knows in the universe are nourishment, a woman and rest; the only evils he fears are pain and hunger”(Rousseau, 26). Rousseau

He believes that humans would be more compliant in a society, if they remained as inarticulate animals or simple savages. Implicit in his work, Rousseau attempts to demonstrate how the progression of human reason leads to the corruption of human virtue, and the establishment of modern moral inequality. He argues that the state of nature is more effective for preserving human society, because humans are able to live equally under the basic, natural sentiments of pity and