JEAN JAQUES REUSSEAU

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• Born June 28th in Geneva, Italy
• Father was a clock maker and mother died after giving birth.
• Began an apprenticeship in engraving before moving to Paris at 17.
• Contributed to Denis Diderot's encyclopedié while in Paris.

BACKGROUND INFO CONTINUED

• Famous for writing:
• Julie, ou la novella Héloise, a best selling novel.
• The encyclopedié
• The social contract

PHILOSOPHICALN IDEAS

• Addressed freedom more than anything, and believed everyone was born free
• Everyone is free
• Wrote the Social contract which stated that people should have a say in government
• People can be good through education, but can be corrupted
• Everyone is equal to his fellow human, and divine right should not play a role in politics

BELIEFS

• Rousseau believed in democracy, believing in a representive and a direct democracy.
• Believed it shared power between citizens and nobles.
• Believed in natural rights and general equality, wanted society's help with decisions.
• Rousseau's ideas were not controversial because few objected freedom.