The Social Contract

What is the difference between “natural liberty” and “civil liberty”? Does Rousseau believe one is superior to the other? And how does this relate to the difference between “natural inequality” and “civil equality”?

Are you convinced by Rousseau’s argument that obedience to “the general will” is a form of freedom? In what ways is this argument vulnerable to criticism? Think about concepts like the protection of minority rights against the majority and Rousseau’s contention that citizens must effectively be “forced to be free” (28).

Describe the qualities belonging to the three major forms of government Rousseau identifies. Under which circumstances is each form of government most appropriate, in Rousseau’s view?

How does Rousseau define “the government” in his formulation of the ideal state? How does this definition differ from both common conceptions of the term and those found in the works of other political philosophers like Locke and Montesquieu?

In Rousseau’s view, how are laws established in a new sovereign state with a social contract between the people and the general will? What are some of the challenges Rousseau lists in establishing these laws? And do you foresee other challenges Rousseau does not mention?

In discussing ancient Sparta, Rousseau wonders if liberty for some is possible without the enslavement of others. Rousseau reaches no concrete conclusion on this point, but what are your thoughts on this disturbing suggestion? And how does it relate to the United states’ history of slavery and Jim Crow, along with more recent attempts to fulfill the promise of multi-racial democracy?

Although Rousseau points to many real-world examples, much of his analysis is theoretical in nature. What are at least three major vulnerabilities of Rousseau’s philosophies when they are applied in the real world, as opposed to the theoretical framework Rousseau prefers?

Do you see evidence of Rousseau’s vision of the social contract in modern society, particularly in the United States and Europe? In what ways do Western democracies express the general will? In what ways do they not?