Rousseau's Social Contract

The Declaration of Independence says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness. ”(Declaration of Independence US 1776) As we can see the social contract and The Declaration of Independence are alike in many aspects. The Declaration of Independence is not only to list the freedoms of the people, it is also a list of reclamations of what Americans don't like about Britain's policy.

The social contract is an agreement for society members to come together and make sacrifices for social benefits. This at the time had influenced a lot of people such as Thomas jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the founding fathers who were individuals from the thirteen British colonies in North America, who agreed to sign the Declaration of Independence. It seems as if John Locke

In any case of failure to protect the rights, the people were in their complete right to overthrow the government (Doc 2 & Pg. 630) In agreement, Rousseau believed that the government’s power also comes from the consent of the people, which he included in his book, The Social Contract. (Pg. 632) Rousseau included much more ideas that incorporated political aspects, but he also his thought about

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 Rousseau felt that the system was outdated and it made citizens feel as if they were living in someone else’s home rather than their own, so he theorized that by fabricating a system in which the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.

Rousseau argued for the elimination of privileges and social hierarchies, and the declaration reflects this principle by proclaiming that all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and entitled to the same rights and protections. This is seen in the declaration in the words “the law must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes (National Assembly 78).” It also speaks about all being equally protected and no one doing anything which would harm another, as seen in the words “ Liberty consists in being able to do whatever does not harm another (National Assembly 77).” It draws a line when others are harmed, protecting all and limiting all to make sure people are not

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.

In response to the British’s intolerable acts during this time people desired a government based on popular sovereignty or the idea that a government's power ultimately comes from the consent of the people. The political treatise "The Social Contract," written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, explores the idea that the people are sovereign and that the legal power of a state arises from the agreement of the governed in order to build a more stable and just society. In this work, Rousseau makes the case that the common good should serve as any society's guiding concept and that the government should be in charge of advancing

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.

However, I think it is important to remember Rousseau’s concept of perfectibility and understand that because of this trait it was almost inevitable that humans would eventually become social. Yet, it is not inevitable that humans would become politically unequal, as that is a direct result of government institutions. As well, Rousseau himself in further writings even expresses the hope that a new form of social contract could help to ease some of the political inequalities that plague contemporary society. This then suggests that the cause for these issues is not rooted in being social, for it is possible to live among others in a setting where equality has been institutionalized. Rather, the problem lies with corrupt and capitalist governments that serve to perpetuate inauthenticity and private

Many of John Lock's ideas about social contracts were used in the Declaration of Independence. His ideas were used to explain peoples rights, the purpose of governments, and citizens responsibilities to abusive governments. Locke believed that everyone has the right to life, liberty, and property. In Locke's essay Social Contract, he says, "We retain the right to life and liberty, and gain the right to just, impartial protection of our property." In the Declaration of independence Thomas Jefferson changed that to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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.

Locke wanted to establish an agreement between the government and the people that stated the government would protect the natural rights and if they tried to take them away, the people had the right to overthrow the government. This created a bond between the government and the people by having the government protect the people, but in order for the government not to have absolute power, the people could refuse their laws. Other philosophers also believed in social contracts, however they had different motives behind them. Jean Jacques Rousseau, a Swiss philosopher who was committed to individual freedom, also supported the idea of a social contract. He believed that though men were free, they should be willing to give up some freedoms to better society.

Rousseau’s main idea is that everyone should feel safe, happy, and equal even if it means sacrificing personal joy for the good of society. If these things are not present then the community does not work. The contract

To get his point across, he distinguishes the difference between just and unjust laws. Furthermore, he was accused of being an extremist. This disturbed him at first then he reflected on all the extremists throughout history and he saw this description of him not necessarily bad. He noted extremists

“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.