Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Swiss philosopher born in 1712 who published two influential works in 1762, The Social Contract and Emile. In these works, he outlined his theory of social contract which argued that people form societies and consent to be governed through an implicit agreement, surrendering some freedoms for the stability and protections provided by the state. This social contract creates a sovereign, the general will of the people, and binds citizens to work for the common good of society over individual interests. Though criticized, Rousseau's ideas greatly influenced political thought and the French and American revolutions.

1. Jean Jacques Rousseau born in Geneva, Switzerland
on June 28, 1712.
He stopped traditional schooling at the age of 12.
In 1762, he published his most famous works-
I. The Social Contract and
II. Emile
He expressed his views about the social contract
without having any consideration in his mind.
His own ideas deeply influenced Kant and Hegel,
the well-known German philosopher.
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2.  First of all his views were severely criticized and his
ideas were vehemently condemned and his books
were burnt to ashes.
 Being disgusted and disappointed with the sorry
state of affairs, he committed suicide in 1778.
 His ideas became so popular and powerful that it led
to outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 after
eleven years of his death.
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3.  The agreement through which each person enters into
civil society.
 The contract binds people into a community that
exists for mutual preservation.
 As Rousseau thought “we sacrifice physical freedom
to gain civil freedom”.
 According to Rousseau, “Social contract is not a
historical fact but a hypothetical construction of
reason”.
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4. Rousseau’s Social Contract
 The social contract is made among all the participants.
 The sovereign is the popular will of the collective
whole of which all individuals are a part.
 The natural state of mankind is basically good.
 The social contract creates an association in which we
all share common goals and principles.
 State guided by the general will.
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5. The individuals who wanted to group themselves into
a society met together and surrendered their natural
rights under the supreme direction of the general will.
General Will: According to Rousseau, there was
only one contract which was social and political at
the same time. The individual surrendered himself
contemporary and unconditionally to the contract of
which he became the member of a society.
The contract so entered was moral and collective.
Rousseau called this contract General Will.
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6.  According to Rousseau, the original ‘freedom,
happiness, equality and liberty’ which existed in
primitive societies prior to the social contract was lost
in the modern civilization.
 Through social contract, a new form of social
organization- the state was formed to assure and
guarantee rights, liberties freedom, and equality.
‘Liberty’ for Rousseau, is freedom for political
control and not freedom from political control.
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7.  Rousseau favored people’s Sovereignty.
 His natural law theory is confined to the freedom and
liberty of the individual. For him, state, law,
sovereignty, general will, etc. are interchangeable
terms.
 Rousseau’s theory inspired French and American
revolutions and given impetus to nationalism.
 He based his theory of social contract on the principle
of “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in
chains”.
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8. Rousseau’s concept of social contract was social but
not governmental.
Because Social Contract leads to sovereignty of the
people.
It distinguishes between the state and government and
locates sovereignty in the General Will.
Sovereign- the voice of the law and absolute
authority within the state. In Rousseau’s words, the
‘Sovereign’ is “the term which people speaking
together”.
Government- charged with application of the law
toward particular matters.Sheikh Saifullah Ahmed 8

9. In the case of Rousseau, morality results from the
contract because, as a result of the contract, regard for
the community replaces regard for self and social duty
and obligation get preference over the rights of the
individual.
The contracts makes a man rational and moral steadily
through constant participation in the General Will.
That of Rousseau is not confined to a signal act but
involves a continuous participation in the general will
and through it in the welfare of the community.
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10. The social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke and
Rousseau showed important variations.
Hobbes viewed natural man as essentially selfish
and the state of nature as a period of constant
warfare.
Rousseau viewed the natural man as essentially
good, and the state of nature as a period of idyllic
happiness.
Locke occupied a middle position on these points.
Hobbes and Rousseau maintained that sovereignty
was absolute; Locke viewed it as limited.
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11. The theoretical explanation of Rousseau’s ‘Social
Contract’ may be criticized on the following
grounds:
1. Rousseau pronounced that state, law and the
government are interchangeable, but this in
present scenario is difficult.
2. The framing of social contract according to the
views of Rousseau is illogical and vague.
3. The thought of this theory is imaginary and not
practicable.
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12. 4. Rousseau’s description of the State of Nature is
quite unrealistic.
5. Rousseau’s general will encourages Absolutism.
6. Rousseau’s General Will does not attached any
importance to the Individual Will.
7. Locke viewed Rousseau’s popular sovereignty of
continual exercise as unreal. In Locke’s theory;
sovereignty, is held reserve and dormant.
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13. If Rousseau’s views are criticized and condemned by
some political thinkers, they are at the same time
given importance by other scholars.
Rousseau found distinction between the state and
the government and supported the theory popular
sovereignty first.
He was the apostle of direct democracy and was not
at all in favor of indirect democracy. J.M. Cohen
has also supported this view and says “No one had
as much influence as he on two centuries”.
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