Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the intellectual influencer behind the French Revolution wrote, "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." His solution? A radical political vision where individuals submit their private wills to a unified general will, forming a sovereign body rooted in consent and collective freedom. In The Social Contract (Books I & III), he explores what makes authority legitimate, how liberty can survive within law, and what happens when sovereignty belongs to the people themselves.
We’ll explore questions such as:
- Can you really be free if you're forced to obey "your own" general will?
- What happens to tradition, hierarchy and institutions in a world governed by popular will?
- Did Rousseau offer a moral vision for the common good—or a blueprint for erasing tradition and history in favor of abstract ideals?
Rousseau was deeply influenced by literature—especially Robinson Crusoe, which solitary hero helped inspire his image of the noble savage: a human being in a pre-political, natural state, uncorrupted by institutions, social inequality, or artificial needs. For Rousseau, civilization doesn't refine us—it distorts us. The noble savage embodies the idea that humans are innately good, and that society’s structures often erode that goodness.
To his admirers, Rousseau exposed how tradition can mask entrenched power and inequality—his call was to reimagine society on the basis of freedom and moral equality. To his critics, he discarded the accumulated wisdom of inherited institutions, replacing it with unsustainable, abstract ideals that inspired violent revolutions.
Rousseau’s legacy still stirs debate—in democratic theory, populist movements, and tensions between liberty, authority, and identity. Join us for a lively, open discussion. No background required—just curiosity and a willingness to challenge big ideas.
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