The Social Contract

The Social Contract or Principles of political right ( fr.: You Contract Social ou Principes du Droit Politique ) is the political- theoretical main work of the Swiss-French philosopher Jean -Jacques Rousseau. It first appeared in 1762 in Amsterdam and was then immediately banned in France, the Netherlands, Geneva and Bern.

This work is - in addition to Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws - a key work of the Enlightenment philosophy. Together with the latter can be regarded as a forerunner of modern democracy and democratic theory of the social contract, although he also offers numerous points of contact for other political ideas and schools of thought today (compare identity theory).

For Rousseau was the sole basis of legitimate political power only the general will ( volonté générale ) be ( which is always aimed at the common good ) and not exist in the divine right of kings. The influence of this work on the French Revolution can hardly be denied, but it is later, for example in radical thinking Maximilien de Robespierre clearly visible. Later took sociology, law and political philosophy many of his questions, so that, for example, Rousseau may also include the proto sociologists.

• 5.1 Jean -Marie Tremblay
• 5.2 Jean -Jacques Rousseau

Classification

Rousseau's work is based on three basic assumptions:

The reconnaissance Rousseau writes mainly with his concept of volonté générale transcendental state philosophy of Plato continued (See theory of ideas ). His design of an ideal state differs so radically from the political reality of the Ancien Régime, that an immediate ban his book in no way surprising. The explosive force lies in the fact that he takes no justification of the constitutional monarchy, like Locke and Montesquieu it still tried. Rousseau built his utopian community on the principle of universal correctness that is called volonté générale. It has to be valid beyond the rights and privileges of the nobility and royalty. Rousseau's approach of identity, democracy is the principle of representation of Anglo-Saxon democracy theories diametrically opposed. When it comes to the general will, behind which lies the idea that there would be a public good, which is all members of society equally useful in Rousseau, the modern conception of democracy is so far opposed to this idea, as it here with a notion of democracy in the sense of competing views and interests goes. ( sa competition theory: James Madison, Joseph Schumpeter )

Content First Book

In the first book Rousseau first explained the purpose of his work: he wants to find out whether there are " legitimate and safe principles of government ." He denies in the first chapter, that a supposedly natural inequality between people justifies the political power of some over others. ? "One thinks himself the master of others, and remains longer a slave when she How did this change come about I know there. What may not lend it legitimacy This question I think I can answer. " [ JJR 1]

Rousseau formulates the task which he presents with his work, as follows: "Find a form of association that defends the person and property of each member with all her power together and protect each and by the but by itself with all combined, only obeys himself and just remains as free as before. " [ JJR 2]

The social contract is fundamental to his argument: A lot of people so far in the so-called state of nature lingering ( here Rousseau oriented to the designs of John Locke in the Two Treatises of Government ), is closing as the benefits outweigh this to a community together by their natural freedom, which they had till then to give up in favor of a social order. The social contract ultimately means " the total alienation of each member with all its rights to the community as a whole". [ JJR 2] The result is a public person, the polis. This community is an inseparable whole dar. Each member of this community is committed in two ways: firstly, as a member of the sovereign against an individual and as a member of the State against the sovereign.

For a better understanding Rousseau leads here now first the terminology used to: With City as it is known only building, Indianapolis ( or republic or government body ), however, refers to the citizens in a city. The members call the polis if they are passive state; however, when they are active sovereign. All members called people, individuals - if he can actively participate - citizens. Is he passive subject to the laws of the state, he is subject.

The Sovereign is a corporate body in which none of its members can be injured, without it being attacked themselves so that, just as the body can not be attacked without their members would feel this. This ratio is forcing each member as such and as a member of the whole to preserve the body.

This means that as no corporation can exist conflicting interest, and as a warranting the sovereign towards the subjects is unnecessary. However, If a Member for not indeed perceive the duties that belong to him as citizens, but rather to take advantage of the privileges, so this means the demise of the political body. Rousseau draws from this example, the conclusion that the corporation is authorized to compel that Member to the general will, " which means nothing else than forcing him to be free." [ JJR 3]

Rousseau distinguishes thereon between the natural freedom, " only in the strength of the individual finds its limits ", and civil freedom, " which is limited by the general will, and the property " [ JJR 4]: receives Upon receipt of civil liberty man a right to everything he owns, the loss of natural liberty means the loss of the associated rights to everything he can demand and get.

Ownership of property in rem arises with the introduction of the social contract and on the basis of the law of first possession party: If the proportion of a person, it is clear he has this and no further claim on the community. Its share defined by the law that he has to have everything, " what he needs ". [ JJR 5]

The establishment of the right of first possession taker defined Rousseau with the relevant passages from Locke: The first to be taken possession of territory is not already occupied, second one only takes as much as you need for maintenance, and third one takes through work cultivation and possession of the field ( especially since this is the only card of property ).

In the state corporation now the entire ownership is transferred to the sovereign, and the individual shall be deemed trustee of the commons. The individual has, as it ceded his property to the public and thus in itself and acquires it again under different circumstances, but on favorable terms, as the area will be defended jointly.

Finally, for the first book noticed Rousseau that the " moral and legal equality" does not destroy the natural equality, but the people who differ in strength and talent, " by contract and law " [ JJR 6] helps to par. Rousseau believes that only in the bourgeois state, reason has a chance enforcement.