Rousseau

Definition

Rousseau was an influential Genevan philosopher and political theorist during the 18th century Enlightenment period. His ideas on the social contract, the general will, and the nature of man had a profound impact on the political thought that led to the American Revolution and the foundations of the American political tradition.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Rousseau's ideas on the social contract and the general will directly influenced the American Founding Fathers' principles of popular sovereignty and government by consent of the governed.
2. Rousseau's belief in the inherent goodness of human nature and the corrupting influence of civilization and government shaped the American political tradition's emphasis on individual liberty and limited government.
3. Rousseau's concept of the general will, which prioritizes the collective good over individual interests, was a key philosophical foundation for the American Revolution's fight against British tyranny.
4. Rousseau's writings on the state of nature and the social contract challenged the traditional justifications for monarchy and aristocracy, contributing to the American colonists' rejection of the British political system.
5. Rousseau's ideas on the importance of civic virtue, public participation, and the will of the people were instrumental in shaping the American system of representative democracy and republicanism.

Review Questions

• Explain how Rousseau's concept of the social contract influenced the political thought that led to the American Revolution.
  • Rousseau's idea of the social contract, in which individuals willingly submit to the authority of the general will of the people in order to preserve natural rights and achieve the common good, was a key philosophical foundation for the American colonists' rejection of British rule. The American Founding Fathers were heavily influenced by Rousseau's belief that legitimate political authority must be based on the consent of the governed, rather than the arbitrary power of a monarch or aristocracy. This principle of popular sovereignty was a driving force behind the American Revolution's fight against British tyranny and the establishment of a new system of representative democracy in the United States.
• Analyze how Rousseau's views on the nature of man and the corrupting influence of civilization shaped the American political tradition's emphasis on individual liberty and limited government.
  • Rousseau's belief in the inherent goodness of human nature and his critique of the artificial constructs of civilization and government had a profound impact on the American political tradition. The American Founders were heavily influenced by Rousseau's idea of the 'state of nature,' in which individuals are free, equal, and uncorrupted. This led to the American emphasis on individual liberty and the need to limit the power of the state, as the Founders sought to protect the natural rights of the people from the potential tyranny of the government. Rousseau's ideas on the corrupting influence of civilization and the importance of civic virtue also contributed to the American political tradition's suspicion of concentrated power and its commitment to popular participation in the political process.
• Evaluate the extent to which Rousseau's concept of the general will, which prioritizes the collective good over individual interests, was reconciled with the American political tradition's emphasis on individual rights and limited government.
  • Rousseau's concept of the general will, which holds that the collective will of the people should be the source of political legitimacy and authority, presented a potential tension with the American political tradition's emphasis on individual rights and limited government. The American Founders were influenced by Rousseau's ideas on the general will and the importance of the common good, as seen in the principles of popular sovereignty and government by consent of the governed. However, the American system of representative democracy and its protections for individual liberties also reflected a desire to balance the collective will with the rights of the individual. This balance was achieved through the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. While Rousseau's concept of the general will shaped the American political tradition, the Founders ultimately sought to reconcile it with their commitment to individual freedom and limited government.

Related terms

Social Contract: Rousseau's concept of the social contract, which argued that individuals willingly submit to the authority of the general will of the people in order to preserve natural rights and achieve the common good.

General Will: Rousseau's idea that the collective will of the people, rather than the will of any individual or faction, should be the source of political legitimacy and authority.

State of Nature: Rousseau's view of the natural state of mankind as free, equal, and uncorrupted by the artificial constructs of civilization and government.