“Conditions Leading to the Social Contract: An Evaluation of Rousseau’s The Social Contract”

Abstract

In this study, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract is reviewed. Rousseau’s work, titled The Social Contract, still maintains its importance today. In this work, Rousseau adds a new meaning to the ordinary man by giving him an identity and substantial characteristics. Taking a new meaning, ordinary men are called citizens. People with this transcendent character are greater than the sum of individuals. They will not wish their own harm or make wrong decisions unless they are deceived. Rousseau calls people’s demands with this transcendental identity “General Will”. Rousseau emphasizes the necessity of the social contract, placing the people based on legitimacy. Rousseau explains how the legislation and executive should be within the system and the role of the sovereign entity. Through this, he specifies the characteristic that should be present for democracy f democracy. Based on this,  Rousseau defines democracy as the implementation of the executive under the leadership of a legislature with a supreme character. Since the legislature is a sufficiently equipped lawgiver, he cannot be deceived in any way and always acts on behalf of the people’s interest. Thus, Rousseau proposes a new system in his work through a political and a new definition of the people.

Keywords: Democracy, general will, lawgiver, state of nature, Social Contract, sovereign.