POG 235 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Age Of Enlightenment, Egalitarianism
14 Dec 2017
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Jean-jacques rousseau (1712 1778) man is born free but everywhere he is in chains . Enlightenment: autonomous, self-directing individual at centre of poltical/economic life. For rousseau: role of state is a moral issue (contra lock) This is the fundamental problem of which the social contract provides the solution. Critique of hobbes: state of nature not war of all against all". Natural man -> not warlike, greedy, egoistic and competitive. Self-love (amour de soi) + self-preservation + compassion. Property is the foundation for civil society (locke) But, inequality is the result: the first man who, having enclosed a piece of ground, bethought himself of saying this is mine" and found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society. Division of labor -> private property -> self interest -> commerce -> competition -> inequality. Private property produces ency and pride (amor-propre); alienates us from. Civilized man" knows self only through the eyes of others:
