Phillosophy Summary: The Social Contract by Rousseau part 1

Introduction

As explained in the introduction post my motivation for writing is that this particular book has been unfairly maligned as a proto-communist call for an absolute state. To the contrary though it shares many of the same criticisms of unrestrained democracy as the classical-liberal/libertarian tradition. I can only assume that many who have invoked it be they socialist or individualist have grabbed onto terms such as "general will" without reading Rousseau's own definitions of these. I will be pointing out this books own shortcomings in future posts but there is much here that greatly clarifies the problems Libertarian thought grapples with.

Summary

Preface

1. Raises question of if there is a good form of government at all
2. Clarifies that by good he means not compromising deontological justice or utilitarian goals
3. His right to vote implies an obligation to be informed on politics

Chapter 1

1. "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains"
2. "Those who think themselves the masters of others are indeed greater slaves than they"
3. How this came to be is a mystery
4. If only considering force citizens should rebel if strong enough or submit without complaint
5. However we tend to think in terms of rights derived from the structure of society
6. Different societies are built of different agreements rather than a single template from nature
7. Therefore a persons exact rights differ from one society to another
8. Exactly what the agreements (and by extension rights) are is not obvious
9. All of the above will need great clarification before proceeding

Chapter 2

1. The oldest and only truly natural society is the family
2. ...which dissolves on the children reaching maturity
3. Continuing friendship with parents / siblings as adults is a choice outside of nature
4. Adults are responsible for their own well being
5. Individuals are the best judges of how to carry out this responsibility
6. Therefore needing freedom to carry out their duty
7. Traditionally states have been modelled on families with the king as father and citizens as children
8. Such a state should be built on citizens following the king voluntarily like a family of adult sons still following their father
9. However a father's reward is love whereas the king's reward is the pleasure of control
10. Grotius argued that slavery proves that at least some states are not benevolent
11. Further he compared humanity to herds of cattle owned and eaten by farmers
12. Aristotle claimed that some men are born to be masters and others born to be slaves
13. But he confused effect and cause. People raised as slaves do not know how to be anything else
14. This is a "natural" result of violating natural law
15. Rousseau jokes that being descended from Adam and Eve he is a prince and inline to being king of Earth
16. Returning to seriousness he explains that hermits are monarchs by default
17. This is the only time a "ruler" has no reason to fear rebellion or war