Rousseau And Politics
Does Schmitt or does Rousseau describe the current state of American politics most accurately?
Carl Schmitt, a German political theorist and Jean Jacques Rousseau, a French political philosopher, both give their views on democracy and its inner workings. Schmitt show great disdain for democracy. He believes it is corrupt and “seems fated [then] to destroy itself…” Rousseau clearly believes in democracy; where the citizens have duties to the nation and enter into a social contract with the sovereign. Rousseau’s ideas seem more gear to the way democracy is supposed to be, where as Schmitt’s seem more based upon his observations of democracy. Together their opinions combine to illustrate the current state of American politics. American …show more content…
One back draw of this is, do these people really gain the freedom they think they are getting? Rousseau’s Social Contract says that a man looses his natural freedom and unlimited rights but gains proprietorship over his belongings and gains civil freedom. The concept of ownership is very important in American society. What you own, in a sense, defines who you are and what you are able to do with your life. In the US if a person showed up to a job interview in a sweatshirt and sweatpants there’s almost a guarantee they won’t get that job. The civil freedom, according to Schmitt, only extends to the citizens that fit the “norm” of the society. This creates insiders and outsiders, where the homogenous (insiders) are equal but the heterogeneous (outsiders) are unequal and sometimes people attempt to eradicate them. The immigrants are considered to be heterogeneous and they are not treated equally. Most don’t have good jobs, make a good living or get many of the things that the homogeneous get. Rousseau would agree to a certain extent because for his social contract to exist the people of the nation need to share similar ideas. In the current American society there exists many different groups of people and one would then expect there to be many different types of political groups to represent all them. This is not the case. The two main political groups are the Republicans and the Democrats, and one person from either party has been elected into office every year since the start of American
Carl Schmitt, a German political theorist and Jean Jacques Rousseau, a French political philosopher, both give their views on democracy and its inner workings. Schmitt show great disdain for democracy. He believes it is corrupt and “seems fated [then] to destroy itself…” Rousseau clearly believes in democracy; where the citizens have duties to the nation and enter into a social contract with the sovereign. Rousseau’s ideas seem more gear to the way democracy is supposed to be, where as Schmitt’s seem more based upon his observations of democracy. Together their opinions combine to illustrate the current state of American politics. American …show more content…
One back draw of this is, do these people really gain the freedom they think they are getting? Rousseau’s Social Contract says that a man looses his natural freedom and unlimited rights but gains proprietorship over his belongings and gains civil freedom. The concept of ownership is very important in American society. What you own, in a sense, defines who you are and what you are able to do with your life. In the US if a person showed up to a job interview in a sweatshirt and sweatpants there’s almost a guarantee they won’t get that job. The civil freedom, according to Schmitt, only extends to the citizens that fit the “norm” of the society. This creates insiders and outsiders, where the homogenous (insiders) are equal but the heterogeneous (outsiders) are unequal and sometimes people attempt to eradicate them. The immigrants are considered to be heterogeneous and they are not treated equally. Most don’t have good jobs, make a good living or get many of the things that the homogeneous get. Rousseau would agree to a certain extent because for his social contract to exist the people of the nation need to share similar ideas. In the current American society there exists many different groups of people and one would then expect there to be many different types of political groups to represent all them. This is not the case. The two main political groups are the Republicans and the Democrats, and one person from either party has been elected into office every year since the start of American