The Noble Savage - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Known as the father of Romanticism Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) developed revolutionary ideas during the Age of Enlightenment which changed the landscape of European philosophy challenging the very foundations of societal norms and political thought his ideas resonated so profoundly that they inspired the leaders of the French Revolution as well as contributed to the development of modern human rights. Rousseau's work offers us a lens through which we can analyse our own societal structures and reflect upon the Timeless pursuit of a more just and Equitable World.

In this video we will take a look at three of Rousseau's ground-breaking concepts which continue to ignite debates to this day; the State of Nature, Feeling over Reason, and the General Will.

Contrary to prevailing views of his time Rousseau believed that civilization was an inherently negative force on human nature consequently he developed the theory of the state of nature a hypothetical condition of humanity before the establishment of political and social institutions. In this idealised state of nature humans were essentially good free and equal living in harmony with nature and one another. Rousseau used the concept of the state of nature to posit that human beings were born good and pure but were corrupted by the society into which they were born he argued the human Vice and passions developed as people started to come together in groups and began comparing what they had with their neighbours. The resulting inequality in turn cultivated jealousy pride and selfishness within individuals thus corrupting the true nature of humanity as pure and selfless individuals.

Rousseau's ideas are in stark contrast to another monumental figure in Political Philosophy:

   • Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan | Order and ...  

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