Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Peter Fojtu, Mark Brown, Gunnar Jacob

Born in Geneva, Switzerland on June 12, 1712 One brother named François Mother died during childbirth Father was a watchmaker, exiled from Geneva At young age was inspired by his family He loved to read from an early age Dropped out of school at the age of twelve

Biography

He ran away from Geneva in 1728 Failed at several different trades His adopter was a wealthy widow Rousseau received a rudimentary education In 1761, he wrote the novel, La’ Nouvelle

Heloise Published The Social Contract in 1762, along

with his novel Emile Died on 2 July, 1778 Legacy of “the idea of general will”

Biography

Believed that people are good when they are

born Bad people have been corrupted by society Believed that people should not govern

themselves Believed that people are self centered How a person is raised greatly affects how

they are Civilization should be seen as slowly decaying

Philosophical ideas

Everyone must be free Claims that monarchy is always the strongest,

necessary in all states in times of crisis Claims that aristocracy, or rule by the few, is

most stable Believed that a truly free government is one

where everyone votes Believed that people should not put their ambitions first All citizens committed to the common good

Beliefs in Government

Effected the French Revolution through his

literature The French were diplomatic friends with the

English colonies His novels inspired education for everyone "Man is born free, everywhere else he is in

chains” (Rousseau) He believed that people should practice

representative assembly

Opinion

"JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU." JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU. N.p., n.d.

Web. 13 Oct. 2012.<http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee501/rousseau.html>.

Bertram, Christopher. "Jean Jacques Rousseau." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rousseau/>.

"Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Biography." Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The European Graduate School, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.egs.edu/library/jean-jacques-rousseau/biography/>.

Delaney, James. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Rousseau, Jean-Jacques []. N.p., 21 Oct. 2005. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/rousseau/>.

"Internet History Sourcebooks." Internet History Sourcebooks. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/rousseau-contract2.asp>.

Citations