Rousseau: Social Contract, General Will, and Critique of Civilization
The two fundamental aspects of Rousseau’s thought are:
- A negative consideration of culture and human civilization (thesis presented in “Discourse on the Origin of Inequality”).
- A positive reflection of politics and government as stated in the Social Contract, with its contribution to political thought with the concept of general will.
Rousseau’s work is scattered and piecemeal. While some see a contradiction between the two theses, analysis also shows that they are related. Its purpose is to promote a new social and political model, after a critique of civilization and society. Rousseau says that man is good by nature and civilization and culture have corrupted him. He defends the thesis that civilization has only helped to promote inequality and moral degeneration. The author does not conclude that it is necessary to return to the original stages of humanity, but argues that we must reform those aspects that have led to the corruption of the human being. These causes are, according to Rousseau, private property, causing economic inequalities, and arbitrary and despotic rule, leading to a part of the population into submission and the lack of freedom. The end of all systems and legislation should be to achieve the greatest good of all, namely the freedom and equality of citizens.
The Idea of Man
Rousseau was concerned with the natural state of man and presents a working hypothesis: there are no natural men, but originally there was a natural state that evolved for various reasons. Man, before calculating reason, individualism, and selfishness, is feeling. The feelings are dominant in nature: love itself, or survival instinct (not to be confused with self-love or selfishness that is generated by life in society), and commiseration to the similar, i.e., the refusal to produce the suffering of others. It therefore aims to satisfy the good of their own, without producing evil to others. The human being moves by instinct, but, unlike animals, is aware of their freedom to choose and has the opportunity to improve, to acquire new skills.
The Social Contract
Rousseau considers it necessary to establish a new social pact to construct a new society in which economic inequality and despotism have no place. His theory is concerned, on the one hand, with the state of nature and, on the other hand, with the establishment of a social contract.
The State of Nature
Prior to civilization, the human being was kind and happy. Individuals lived in isolation on an equal, independent, and free basis in a world in which there was no language.
The Social Contract
As we have seen, for Rousseau, human beings need to partner with other men to protect themselves from the dangers that lurk in natural life. Society is a need; however, civilization has become bad for humans. The State has created inequalities, and for this reason, he is advocating a new social contract that provides human beings live in freedom and according to their true nature. Rousseau introduces here the concept of general will. The State is therefore necessary, but only has legitimacy when it is able to restore freedom and equality that existed in the state of nature (which no longer seems paradoxical.) The social contract is an agreement between free wills and the wills of all; it is the general will. This stems directly from the people and is identified with the common interest and the laws that promote freedom among individuals. However, this notion of general will is opposed to representative democracy (anyone can be attributed to the general will and not identify their own interests with that intention) and also contradicts the separation of powers, given that power emanates from the people and must not be fragmented. The general sense will preclude, on the other hand, the natural law and liberal theory (only the general will can determine the rights of individuals, and, among these rights, there cannot be the right to private property, since it is the root of inequality). To achieve true freedom, one must give up individual rights for the benefit of the community and the public interest. As the general will finds the greatest benefit of all, the best alternative for the individual will be to obey the will. Rousseau inspired ideas that later joined the socialist ideology (Saint-Simon, Marx).