UPCOMING BOOK
UPCOMING BOOK
To understand the importance of Rousseau's First Discourse, we must understand its place in Rousseau's work. Rousseau's work is divided into personal and political writings. In our modern world, the focus is mainly on his political writings. In these writings, Rousseau maintains that:
Science made great progress; however, this progress failed to improve society and Man as a member of that society. It even resulted in Man's corruption. Rousseau tells us that the First Discourse
is not so much an attack on science but a defense of virtue, of good citizenship, a defense of man's proper place in a proper society. (First Discourse, 1751). I have now published a book on that subject: "The Enlightenment and Rousseau's First Discourse."
Rousseau believes that Man in the state of nature was good and needed very little to be happy. Man gave up the state of nature and the happiness that he had, made an agreement with other man, a social contract that resulted in the creation of a state with legitimate authority over everyone. But, the creation of the state increased the power of the strong while diminishing the power of others and their control over their own happiness. (Second Discourse, 1755). I am presently working on a book on the Second Discourse.
Men were born free but lived in chains everywhere. The progress of civilization, namely the creation of the social contract and science, led to a world dominated by bourgeois, people are only interested in improving their material situation, who have no concern for intellectual values or for the well-being of others. To reverse this situation, children should be brought up according to their own nature, for nature is inherently good. One of its characteristics is to have sympathy for others. (Emile, 1762).
Educating Man according to his nature is not sufficient. The structure of the state must be reorganized so as to take fully into consideration the nature of Man and to allow everyone to participate in the decisions of the state. (Social Contract, 1762)
In conclusion, Rousseau believes that a new social contract is needed and this new social contract would lead to Man occupying its proper place in a proper society.
In Julie or the New Heloise, a 600 page novel, Rousseau gave us a complete view of his philosophy in a series of letters exchanged between two lovers. This novel is the most popular novel of the last part of the 18th century. More than 80 editions were printed. (Julie, 1761).
The importance of the First Discourse
is that it focuses on virtues and character or good citizenship, a notion that is needed to understand his subsequent writings. This notion of good citizenship is also important because it is central to our Republic, a form of government in which the People are the source of all power.
