Jean-Jacques Rousseau Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote The Social Contract to introduce to the community, his idea on how the world should work. The statement caused much controversy, eventually causing Rousseau to flee France. Rousseau’s and my beliefs align on almost all of the topics he covered.
The Subject of the first book states that all humans are born free, but as they age they lose their freedom. The pressure of society conforms us and requires us to follow the unwritten rules that keep us in order. This statement is true considering that children have much smaller consequences for wrongdoings than adults. For example, if a child was to take something from a store without paying for it, they are scolded. If an adult was to take something from a store without paying for it, they could face jail time or large fees. …show more content…
In this part, Rousseau says “When the voice of duty takes the place of physical impulses and right of appetite, does man, who is far had considered only himself, find that he is forced to act on different principles”. In summary, when humans find out that there are consequences for their actions, they change their ways so as to avoid punishment. As opposed to his past statements, where he states that power is imaginary, here he states that there is a need for some leadership so all order is not lost. Today, government’s role is to let people live their lives, but apply control where and when it is needed. For instance, If someone were to kill another person, the government is needed to provide punishment for their crime.
The Social Contract made some revolutionary points, that continue to be applicable to the world today. It impacted the American Government system by creating the idea of an agreement by society to abide by the rules of authority without force, and in return be rewarded with protection. To conclude, Rousseau’s ideas are wise and beneficial to the community because they create order without violent
The Subject of the first book states that all humans are born free, but as they age they lose their freedom. The pressure of society conforms us and requires us to follow the unwritten rules that keep us in order. This statement is true considering that children have much smaller consequences for wrongdoings than adults. For example, if a child was to take something from a store without paying for it, they are scolded. If an adult was to take something from a store without paying for it, they could face jail time or large fees. …show more content…
In this part, Rousseau says “When the voice of duty takes the place of physical impulses and right of appetite, does man, who is far had considered only himself, find that he is forced to act on different principles”. In summary, when humans find out that there are consequences for their actions, they change their ways so as to avoid punishment. As opposed to his past statements, where he states that power is imaginary, here he states that there is a need for some leadership so all order is not lost. Today, government’s role is to let people live their lives, but apply control where and when it is needed. For instance, If someone were to kill another person, the government is needed to provide punishment for their crime.
The Social Contract made some revolutionary points, that continue to be applicable to the world today. It impacted the American Government system by creating the idea of an agreement by society to abide by the rules of authority without force, and in return be rewarded with protection. To conclude, Rousseau’s ideas are wise and beneficial to the community because they create order without violent