Western Political Thought Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) - Social Contract Philosopher for NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc. (2023)
Get unlimited access to the best preparation resource for competitive exams : get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.
Jean Jacques Rousseau - Western Political Thought: Social Contract Philosopher (Political Science)
About
- Well known social contract philosopher.
- Given historic theory of General Will.
- Was product of his times and was influenced by his circumstances.
- Does not agree that each man is devil by birth.
- Also refuses to accept that religion is opposed to state.
- His most influential writing- ‘The Social Contract’ brought him widespread reputation.
Major Concepts
Human Nature
- Man had no evil tendencies by birth.
- Wrong social actions made him evil and quarrelsome.
- Man, by nature has two instincts-
- self-love
- sympathy or instinct of mutual aid
- These instinct makes struggle for existence easier.
- Also, does more good than harm.
- Emergence of another instinct called ‘conscience’ .
- This emerges out of clash between the other two.
- Pride was the root cause of many evils.
- Instinct by nature-man՚s freedom to choose his own path.
- This freedom is essential for the perfection of mankind.
State of Nature
Social Contract
- By way of contract man surrender everything to society.
- Being member of society retained everything.
- Rights surrendered to body not individual
- Contact had organic character.
- It was moral, collective and had a public person.
- ⚹Rousseau՚s contract was a continuous process.
Theory of General Will
- People surrendered all rights to a collective sovereign.
- And bowed before the General Will, which is ultimate analysis of sovereign.
- Two terms to be understood for understanding General Will.
- Actual Will and Real Will.
- According to Rousseau General Will is the sum total of Real Will.
- Based on reason, will of all individual for community welfare.
- Rousseau՚s sovereign is General will which is permanent and inalienable.
- It is absolute and possess complete control over state.
Sovereignty
- Vested in people.
- Community as a whole is sovereign.
- It has unity, indivisibility, permanency.
- A right will, inalienable and inseparable
- His government was under this sovereign.
Natural Rights
- He believed man was born free.
- Enjoyed every right which was necessary for his existence.
‘Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains’
✍ Mayank