Rousseau and Modern Political Theory

Political theory of the modern age (Rousseau)

Rousseau's Influence

Rousseau's political ideas greatly influenced the French Revolution, the development of liberal theories, and nationalism. He fell out with several philosophers of the Enlightenment over their pessimistic view of reason and their belief that human beings were a cause of corruption.

Key Works

Some of his most important works are: Discourse on the Sciences and Arts, The Social Contract, Émile ...

State of Nature and Social Contract

His thesis is that men in a state of nature are equal. Man is constrained by an artificial civilization. He looks for a society based on principles that make life possible while preserving the freedom of the individual; civilization should not corrupt, but should be at the service of man and reason. He believes man is not naturally social. He uses the state of nature in order to distinguish what is original and what is artificial in the present nature of human beings.

Rousseau found that the human being in a state of nature would be good, happy, independent, and free. Life in society is what has corrupted the human being.

The real social contract must be a contract of freedom. He transforms natural freedom into civil and political freedom (popular sovereignty). It is a contract among members of the community.

General Will and Popular Sovereignty

The general will is the key principle. Popular sovereignty is exercised, in part, through representative institutions such as parliament.

Division of Powers

The division of powers is understood as the separation of functions in government:

• Legislative — responsible for drafting the law;
• Judiciary — responsible for compliance with the laws;
• Executive — in charge of guiding and directing the administration of the state.

The Covenant and Rules of Coexistence

The covenant is the agreement that sets conditions, written and objective, expressing the basic rules of coexistence and systems of government.

Émile: Education and Development

Émile: his work is essential in thinking about education, as it analyzes the psychology of children and their development. He criticizes education based solely on books; children have to learn for themselves in contact with nature.

Legacy and Psychological Influence

Although Rousseau made a major contribution to the movement for individual liberty, his work is also related to the evolution of psychological literature, psychoanalytic theory, and twentieth-century existentialism, particularly in its insistence on the theme of free will, its rejection of the doctrine of original sin, and its defense of learning through experience rather than analysis.