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Informationen zum Autor Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born on June 28, 1712, in Geneva, was a philosopher, writer, and composer who shaped Enlightenment thought and modern political theory. Raised by his father and aunt after his mother's death, Rousseau's early life was marked by wanderings and diverse experiences. At 15, he left Geneva, converted to Catholicism, and worked various jobs while exploring his intellectual interests.In Paris, Rousseau befriended Denis Diderot and contributed to the Encyclopédie, gaining recognition with his 1750 essay, Discourse on the Arts and Sciences. He argued that advancements in the arts and sciences had led to moral decay, introducing his critical stance on societal progress. His later works, including The Social Contract and Discourse on Inequality, challenged traditional authority and championed the idea of popular sovereignty.Rousseau's novel Émile presented groundbreaking views on education, emphasizing natural development and experiential learning. His radical ideas often brought him into conflict with authorities, resulting in bans and exile. Despite these challenges, Rousseau's philosophy inspired the French Revolution and continues to influence modern political and educational thought. Klappentext Newly translated by Peter Constantine Edited and with an Introduction by Leo Damrosch The Essential Writings of Rousseau collects the best and most indispensable work of one of the world's most influential writers. A towering figure of Enlightenment thought, Jean-Jacques Rousseau was also one of that movement's most passionate and persuasive critics. His extraordinarily original observations on politics, education, and human nature were provocative in their day and remain resonant more than two hundred years after his death. Rousseau's 1762 treatise The Social Contract laid intellectual groundwork for both the American and French Revolutions, influencing such figures as Thomas Jefferson. An eloquent writer with profound insight into human psychology, Rousseau also penned one of the most compelling autobiographies ever written-the magisterial Confessions. The entirety of the first three books of that masterpiece along with the complete Social Contract are included in this indispensable volume.Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men It is of man that I have to speak, and the question I shall examine assures that I will be speaking openly, as one does not propose such questions to one's fellow men when one is afraid of honoring the truth. I will, therefore, defend the cause of humanity with confidence before the wise men who invite me to do so, and shall be pleased if I prove worthy of my subject and my judges. In my view there are two sorts of inequality in the human species: one I call natural or physical, because it is established by nature and consists of differences in age, health, physical strength, and qualities of the mind or soul; the other, one might call moral or political inequality, because it depends on some sort of mutual agreement, and is established, or at least authorized, by the consent of men. This inequality consists of the various privileges that some enjoy at the expense of others, such as being wealthier, more honored, and more powerful than they, or even making themselves obeyed. One cannot ask what the source of natural inequality is, because the simple definition of the term would be provided as an answer. Even less can one inquire if there is not some essential connection between the two inequalities, for that would be to ask in different terms if those who command are necessarily better than those who obey, and if the power of the body or the mind, and wisdom or virtue, are always found in the same individuals in proportion to their power or wealth: this is a good question, perhaps, in a debate among slaves within earshot of their masters, but it is not fitting for free men of reason who...
