Seminar Paper,

Jean Jacques Rousseau, the Social Contract (book 1) – Seminar Paper
Rousseau was born in Geneva in the year 1712, after the age of 12 he had no formal education; perhaps this was what attracted him to Thérèse Le Vasseur. This was the women who he stayed with until his death but never formally married, she was an illiterate chambermaid in the hotel where they met in 1745. Rousseau’s mother died during childbirth and at the age of 10 his father, due to a brawl, fled Geneva leaving him in the care of other family members. Perhaps this is what influenced his decisions about his own five children which he took them to orphanages in Paris. It is later said that he regretted this decision and felt bitter.
A writer during the 18th century; he was very passionate French philosopher who often disagreed with the work of Hobbes and Locke mostly disagreeing on the “state of nature”. A state of nature is a time before law and society, Rousseau believed that we were born free and animalistic before a society although he does say that it’s a necessary evil. The original state of nature came from Hobbes; he said that we were animalistic and chaotic so we needed to elect a leader who had God-like powers, he would be able to do whatever he wished as long as he protected the people and the country. By electing one leader the people lost all of their rights. Hobbes also believed that within us we have natural rights which cannot be given to us or taken away from us. Rousseau challenged Hobbes’s theory saying that he was imagining impossible scenarios of socialized people living outside the society they were brought up in. Rousseau believed that we knew neither right from wrong; our bad habits are the products of civilisation.
Rousseau is seen to be the founder of Romanticism; it is about the uniqueness of an individual and about going against the political norm of the 18th century.
After his death his ideas were still very influential especially in the French Revolution, the legislation which was introduced, "The declaration of the rights of men" had many hints of Rousseau’s work; "Men are born and remain free and equal in life" and "The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation" Rousseau's statement "Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains" is where the link can be found.

In 1762 Rousseau wrote the Social Contract, he began with the words "Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains”. From this he goes onto describe how the “chains” of society keep man held down and unable to be truly free. He said that the only legitimate political authority was that which was made by all of the people, the social contract and general will.
In the Social Contract he says that “The children, released from the obedience they owed to the father, and the father, released from the care he owed his children, return equally to independence.” Later on he again talks about children “...they are born man and free...before they come to years of discretion, the father can, in their name, lay down conditions for their preservation and well-being...” From this I get that he actually just wants the best for his children, he believes that by giving them away they are returned to being free. Although I was taken back when he said (talking about man) “his first law is to provide for his own preservation, his first cares are those which he owes to himself...and consequently becomes his own master.” This made me question whether actually ‘freeing’ his children was just so that he could become his own master, thinking about himself and how he wanted to live his life. Although again from looking into his early life his reasons for giving away his children might be because he grew up without a mother or father, perhaps he thought he benefited more without them.
At one point in The Social Contract, Rousseau cites an example of the Roman republic’s comitia to prove that even large states composed of many people can hold assemblies of all their citizens. The comitia was a Roman Assembly with a direct democracy which worked very well. I think that the reason he chose to use this example of Rome is because it was seen to be a very powerful place, it was known for its well structured democracy and money. If he linked Rome’s strong direct democracy with his idea of the social contract he could persuade people that it was the best for their country.

Rousseau said that the general will was about belonging and following the system people so to become free and we would return to our animalistic state before an evil society. It’s about providing a common good for all, he wanted a direct democracy with no representations where we are all free to contribute and vote and none of our powers will be given to a third party. Rousseau also says that “anyone who refuses to obey the general will, will be forced to be free”. I feel that he has contradicted himself as he later on says “force is a physical power, and I fail to see what moral effect it can have”.

Overall I do like his ideas of a direct democracy and being free, but I think it’s almost impossible. There will always be natural leaders within a group of people so even if there is no appointed leader one will arise. The representative democracy we are in today I believe makes a lot more sense, we still get a say with what happens in our society as the leaders act on our interest, they try to make changes that the public want. When Rousseau talks about this kind of democracy he says “even if scattered individuals were successively enslaved by one man, however numerous they might be, I still see no more than a master and his slaves, and not certainly a people and it’s ruler...”

Man Fact.

“Five per cent of men admit to using a toothbrush after it fell down the toilet” - this is one of the ‘124 AMAZING MAN FACTS’ from last month’s Cosmopolitan. I must say that out of all of the ‘MAN FACTS’ this one definitely caught my eye.

For someone who is rather clean conscious I could not even begin to imagine brushing my teeth with a filthy toilet juiced toothbrush. I have no bloody idea what brings any man to use his toothbrush even after it falls into the toilet...I mean come on its not as if they’re expensive! Go and buy a new one!
Another thing on my clean conscious mind at the moment is the increase of Swine Flu and Fresher’s Flu at university. I can hardly say I’m pleased about the sniffs and snivels I hear in my many lectures but I’m happy to say (for the moment) I’m getting through it (probably due to the fact that I carry tissues in every pocket and wash my hands on a more than regular basis) oh the joys of winter.

“’Tis the season to be jolly, tra la la la laaaa la la blah blaaaaah”

Oh god, on the subject of the dreaded Swine here is another ‘MAN FACT’ from Cosmopolitan: “more than two-thirds of all men said they’d snog a girl who had swine flu if she was attractive enough.” Now I’m sorry if I’m just overly concerned about my health but why on earth would you want to put yourself at risk at such a horrible illness? Come on, how many times have the news people told us to STAY AWAY from people with swine flu and yet men, idiots, shallow one-minded pricks still would kiss a girl just because she was good looking?! What is happening to the world, sometimes I wonder.

Living With the Other Side - newspaper version

I thought that by moving away to uni I would leave the immature antics of my 11 year old little brother behind me but how was I to know that it would be right there waiting for me in my new house at West Downs in the form of two new housemates.
Living with guys for the first time has been a culture shock if I’m honest, I’m still getting used to walking into the kitchen for breakfast and instead of being greeted by my mum with some food I get a “’sup darlin’” from my hung over housemate in a dressing gown. I don’t really know what I expected from living with boys, I asked my housemate Katie whether she had any expectations and she said “I thought they would be messier!”

After thinking about it actually it must be weird for them to be living with girls, especially when in my house there are five girls and only two boys. I asked my housemate Mark whether he had any expectations about living with girls and he said “Octopussy, the film Octopussy. Exactly like that, I thought I’d be Roger Moore and you’d all love me.” He also said that the good things about it were “you’re all nice to look at and you smell good...” I think using this evidence it is safe to say that boys really do never grow out of being immature, they only grow bigger egos!

On a more serious note I really do think it’s a great idea to mix boys and girls together in university accommodation, for someone like myself who has never lived with anyone other than my family (which for the majority of Fresher’s is the same) I have found it a fantastic experience. I’ve met new people which I love living with, I’ve learnt about their backgrounds and where they’re from and it’s just given me a new outlook on life. Mark said that “...the diversity makes it more fun” which I also agree with, it’s a great chance to meet new people and experience something completely different.

So what do you think; do you like living with the other side?

Essays.

Today was the seminar on the Joseph Addison essays. I thought that lots of interesting points were raised, even if most of them went over my head.

Personally after reading the essays my favourites are 'The Adventures of a Shilling' and 'Laughter'.
Someone in the seminar suggested that Addison could come across as being arrogant and I see what they mean, but personally I actually found his writing really funny. Perhaps this is because so much time has passed since he wrote them so they just appear to be funny now.

...more reading is needed to understand...PLUS I have my own essay to finish off.