Rousseau Flashcards
’
‘man is born free…
….but everywhere he is in chains’
What is meant by the general will?
-a state can only be legitimate if it is guided by the collective will of the whole body of the people.
What are the conditions of the general will?
1- Inalienable
2- Indivisible
3- Infallible
What is meant by the general will being inalienable?
-the will of each citizen
-the source law
-the individual cannot claim to be speaking for the people.
What is meant by the general will being indivisible?
-will of the community directed toward the common interest.
-the aggregate of particular wills
-even if a majority decides it is in their interest, there still may be a discrepancy in the collectove interest
What can each member be described as?
-a private person and a citizen
What does it mean to be a private person?
-we are led by our particular wills
What does it bean to be a citizen?
-we set aside our private interests and persue the interest and judgement of our community
What does it mean for the general will to be infalliable?
-always right
-never unjust
-use of democratic proceasures
-DANGER OF FACTIONALISM.
Can we be free and subject to laws?
-yes and it protects us from personal dependence
What does being forced to conform mean?
-the social compact allows securing each member against all personal dependence.
What is meant by civil freedom?
-ensures proprietorship of all he posesses and limited bt the general will
What historcial event did Rousseau write the discourses on inequality?
-the scientific revolution to the French revolution
What is Rousseau not convinced by?
-the idea of human progess
-scientific progress has corrupted humanity
What does Rousseau say about inequality?
-no inequaluty in a state of nature
-stems from development
-inequality becomes permanent by the establishment of property and laws,
What are the three key states according to Rousseau
1- state of nature: state of equality
2- development of human faculties produces inequalties
3. property renders social inequality permenant.
What are the natural inequalities?
- Physical inequaluty
- They cannot account for the level of inequality we observe in society.
What is meant by social/ political inequalties?
- different privilidges
- depends on convention and is authorised by the consent of men.
What is meant by the natural man versus the social man?
-man is naturally good
-the savage man is social man.
What are the nature of the social man and the natural man guided by?
-self preservation
-the capacity for pity of others
-man is natually peaceful and timid- no strong dispostions to make war.
1.
Why do technological advances lead to change?
-uneccesary desires and comparisions
-amour propre- vanity
What is amour de soi?
-comparitive self preservation
What is meant by amour propre?
–self interest and pride
What does technology do to the way of life?
-makes it more complex.
-property
-inequaluty
