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Single Idea 19756
[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / a. Human distinctiveness
]
Full Idea
It is not so much understanding which causes the specific distinction of man from all other animals as it is his being a free agent.
Gist of Idea
Humans are less distinguished from other animals by understanding, than by being free agents
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality [1754], Part I)
Book Ref
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.45
A Reaction
I'm not sure how deep Rousseau takes 'free' to go. Having little enthusiasm for free will, I would say that we are distinguished by the complexity of our decision making. But I attribute that to meta-thought, the mark of humanity.
The
132 ideas
from Jean-Jacques Rousseau
19745
|
The nature of people is decided by the government and politics of their society
[Rousseau]
|
19854
|
We all owe labour in return for our keep, and every idle citizen is a thief
[Rousseau]
|
20759
|
Feelings are prior to intelligence; we should be content to live with our simplest feelings
[Rousseau]
|
19747
|
Revolutionaries usually confuse liberty with total freedom, and end up with heavier chains
[Rousseau]
|
19748
|
Plebiscites are bad, because they exclude the leaders from crucial decisions
[Rousseau]
|
19749
|
In a direct democracy, only the leaders should be able to propose new laws
[Rousseau]
|
19746
|
Like rich food, liberty can ruin people who are too weak to cope with it
[Rousseau]
|
19775
|
People must be made dependent before they can be enslaved
[Rousseau]
|
19770
|
Primitive people simply redressed the evil caused by violence, without thought of punishing
[Rousseau]
|
19761
|
Men started with too few particular names, but later had too few natural kind names
[Rousseau]
|
19776
|
Small uninterrupted causes can have big effects
[Rousseau]
|
19767
|
Reason leads to prudent selfishness, which overrules natural compassion
[Rousseau]
|
19756
|
Humans are less distinguished from other animals by understanding, than by being free agents
[Rousseau]
|
19755
|
Most human ills are self-inflicted; the simple, solitary, regular natural life is good
[Rousseau]
|
19762
|
Is language a pre-requisite for society, or might it emerge afterwards?
[Rousseau]
|
19763
|
I doubt whether a savage person ever complains of life, or considers suicide
[Rousseau]
|
19765
|
Savages avoid evil because they are calm, and never think of it (not because they know goodness)
[Rousseau]
|
19757
|
No one would bother to reason, and try to know things, without a desire for enjoyment
[Rousseau]
|
19759
|
Only words can introduce general ideas into the mind
[Rousseau]
|
19760
|
General ideas are purely intellectual; imagining them is immediately particular
[Rousseau]
|
19758
|
Language may aid thinking, but powerful thought was needed to produce language
[Rousseau]
|
19773
|
Without love, what use is beauty?
[Rousseau]
|
19769
|
Rational morality is OK for brainy people, but ordinary life can't rely on that
[Rousseau]
|
19768
|
The better Golden Rule is 'do good for yourself without harming others'
[Rousseau]
|
19766
|
The fact that we weep (e.g. in theatres) shows that we are naturally compassionate
[Rousseau]
|
19771
|
Savage men quietly pursue desires, without the havoc of modern frenzied imagination
[Rousseau]
|
19774
|
A savage can steal fruit or a home, but there is no means of achieving obedience
[Rousseau]
|
19772
|
In a state of nature people are much more equal; it is society which increases inequalities
[Rousseau]
|
19789
|
It is against nature for children to rule old men, fools to rule the wise, and the rich to hog resources
[Rousseau]
|
19778
|
Leisure led to envy, inequality, vice and revenge, which we now see in savages
[Rousseau]
|
19779
|
Primitive man was very gentle
[Rousseau]
|
19780
|
We seem to have made individual progress since savagery, but actually the species has decayed
[Rousseau]
|
19787
|
People accept the right to be commanded, because they themselves wish to command
[Rousseau]
|
19783
|
A state of war remains after a conquest, if the losers don't accept the winners
[Rousseau]
|
19777
|
Persuading other people that some land was 'owned' was the beginning of society
[Rousseau]
|
19782
|
What else could property arise from, but the labour people add to it?
[Rousseau]
|
19781
|
Land cultivation led to a general right of ownership, administered justly
[Rousseau]
|
19784
|
Enslaved peoples often boast of their condition, calling it a state of 'peace'
[Rousseau]
|
19786
|
Three stages of the state produce inequalities of wealth, power, and enslavement
[Rousseau]
|
19788
|
The pleasure of wealth and power is largely seeing others deprived of them
[Rousseau]
|
19785
|
If the child of a slave woman is born a slave, then a man is not born a man
[Rousseau]
|
19754
|
If we have a natural right to property, what exactly does 'belonging to' mean?
[Rousseau]
|
19750
|
Writers just propose natural law as the likely useful agreements among people
[Rousseau]
|
19753
|
Both men and animals are sentient, which should give the latter the right not to be mistreated
[Rousseau]
|
19752
|
If we should not mistreat humans, it is mainly because of sentience, not rationality
[Rousseau]
|
19751
|
Our two starting principles are concern for self-interest, and compassion for others
[Rousseau]
|
20501
|
Rousseau assumes that laws need a people united by custom and tradition
[Rousseau, by Wolff,J]
|
20567
|
Rousseau insists that popular sovereignty needs a means of expressing consent
[Rousseau, by Oksala]
|
7233
|
The social order is a sacred right, but based on covenants, not nature
[Rousseau]
|
7232
|
Man is born free, and he is everywhere in chains
[Rousseau]
|
19790
|
Force can only dominate if it is seen as a right, and obedience as a duty
[Rousseau]
|
7234
|
No man has any natural authority over his fellows
[Rousseau]
|
19791
|
Natural mankind is too fragmented for states of peace, or of war and enmity
[Rousseau]
|
7235
|
Without freedom of will actions lack moral significance
[Rousseau]
|
7236
|
War gives no right to inflict more destruction than is necessary for victory
[Rousseau]
|
7238
|
Minorities only accept majority-voting because of a prior unanimous agreement
[Rousseau]
|
7237
|
The act of becoming 'a people' is the real foundation of society
[Rousseau]
|
19792
|
To overcome obstacles, people must unite their forces into a single unified power
[Rousseau]
|
7239
|
The social pact is the total subjection of individuals to the general will
[Rousseau]
|
19793
|
We need a protective association which unites forces, but retains individual freedom
[Rousseau]
|
19794
|
If we all give up all of our rights together to the community, we will always support one another
[Rousseau]
|
7240
|
To foreign powers a state is seen as a simple individual
[Rousseau]
|
19795
|
The act of association commits citizens to the state, and the state to its citizens
[Rousseau]
|
19796
|
Individual citizens still retain a private will, which may be contrary to the general will
[Rousseau]
|
19797
|
Citizens must ultimately for forced to accept the general will (so freedom is compulsory!)
[Rousseau]
|
7241
|
In society man loses natural liberty, but gains a right to civil liberty and property
[Rousseau]
|
7242
|
Appetite alone is slavery, and self-prescribed laws are freedom
[Rousseau]
|
19800
|
The social compact imposes conventional equality of rights on people who may start unequally
[Rousseau]
|
19799
|
Private property must always be subordinate to ownership by the whole community
[Rousseau]
|
19798
|
Ancient monarchs were kings of peoples; modern monarchs more cleverly rule a land
[Rousseau]
|
7243
|
Silence of the people implies their consent
[Rousseau]
|
19801
|
Sovereignty is the exercise of the general will, which can never be delegated
[Rousseau]
|
7244
|
The general will is common interest; the will of all is the sum of individual desires
[Rousseau]
|
19802
|
The general will is always right, but the will of all can err, because it includes private interests
[Rousseau]
|
19803
|
If the state contains associations there are fewer opinions, undermining the general will
[Rousseau]
|
19804
|
If a large knowledgeable population votes in isolation, their many choices will have good results
[Rousseau]
|
19808
|
The general will changes its nature when it focuses on particulars
[Rousseau]
|
19805
|
Just as people control their limbs, the general-will state has total control of its members
[Rousseau]
|
19806
|
We alienate to society only what society needs - but society judges that, not us
[Rousseau]
|
19807
|
Both nature and reason require that everything has a cause
[Rousseau]
|
19811
|
Only people who are actually dangerous should be executed, even as an example
[Rousseau]
|
19810
|
A trial proves that a criminal has broken the social treaty, and is no longer a member of the state
[Rousseau]
|
19809
|
We accept the death penalty to prevent assassinations, so we must submit to it if necessary
[Rousseau]
|
7245
|
Natural justice, without sanctions, benefits the wicked, who exploit it
[Rousseau]
|
7246
|
The general will is always good, but sometimes misunderstood
[Rousseau]
|
19812
|
Human nature changes among a people, into a moral and partial existence
[Rousseau]
|
19814
|
A state must be big enough to preserve itself, but small enough to be governable
[Rousseau]
|
19815
|
Too much land is a struggle, producing defensive war; too little makes dependence, and offensive war
[Rousseau]
|
19816
|
A state's purpose is liberty and equality - liberty for strength, and equality for liberty
[Rousseau]
|
7247
|
The greatest social good comes down to freedom and equality
[Rousseau]
|
7248
|
No citizen should be rich enough to buy another, and none so poor as forced to sell himself
[Rousseau]
|
19819
|
The state ensures liberty, so civil law separates citizens, and binds them to the state
[Rousseau]
|
19818
|
Political laws are fundamental, as they firmly organise the state - but they could still be changed
[Rousseau]
|
19817
|
Citizens should be independent of each other, and very dependent on the state
[Rousseau]
|
19820
|
The state has a legislature and an executive, just like the will and physical power in a person
[Rousseau]
|
19821
|
I call the executive power the 'government', which is the 'prince' - a single person, or a group
[Rousseau]
|
19822
|
If the state enlarges, the creators of the general will become less individually powerful
[Rousseau]
|
19823
|
If the population is larger, the government needs to be more powerful
[Rousseau]
|
19824
|
Large populations needs stronger control, which means power should be concentrated
[Rousseau]
|
19826
|
Democracy for small states, aristocracy for intermediate, monarchy for large
[Rousseau]
|
19825
|
If the sovereign entrusts government to at least half the citizens, that is 'democracy'
[Rousseau]
|
19827
|
Law makers and law implementers should be separate
[Rousseau]
|
19829
|
Natural aristocracy is primitive, and hereditary is dreadful, but elective aristocracy is best
[Rousseau]
|
7249
|
Natural aristocracy is primitive, hereditary is bad, and elective aristocracy is the best
[Rousseau]
|
19828
|
Democracy leads to internal strife, as people struggle to maintain or change ways of ruling
[Rousseau]
|
19835
|
When ministers change the state changes, because they always reverse policies
[Rousseau]
|
19832
|
Democratic elections are dangerous intervals in government
[Rousseau]
|
19830
|
Large states need a nobility to fill the gap between a single prince and the people
[Rousseau]
|
19831
|
The highest officers under a monarchy are normally useless; the public could choose much better
[Rousseau]
|
19834
|
Attempts to train future kings don't usually work, and the best have been unprepared
[Rousseau]
|
19833
|
Hereditary monarchy is easier, but can lead to dreadful monarchs
[Rousseau]
|
19836
|
The amount of taxation doesn't matter, if it quickly circulates back to the citizens
[Rousseau]
|
19837
|
If inhabitants are widely dispersed, organising a revolt is much more difficult
[Rousseau]
|
19838
|
The measure of a successful state is increase in its population
[Rousseau]
|
19839
|
The flourishing of arts and letters is too much admired
[Rousseau]
|
7250
|
Laws are authentic acts of the general will
[Rousseau]
|
19840
|
A citizen is a subject who is also sovereign
[Rousseau]
|
19841
|
Sometimes full liberty is only possible at the expense of some complete enslavement
[Rousseau]
|
7251
|
The English are actually slaves in between elections
[Rousseau]
|
19843
|
The state is not bound to leave civil authority to its leaders
[Rousseau]
|
19844
|
Assemblies must always confirm the form of government, and the current administration
[Rousseau]
|
19842
|
The government is instituted by a law, not by a contract
[Rousseau]
|
19846
|
The more unanimous the assembly, the stronger the general will becomes
[Rousseau]
|
19847
|
We can never assume that the son of a slave is a slave
[Rousseau]
|
19848
|
The sovereignty does not appoint the leaders
[Rousseau]
|
19849
|
In early theocracies the god was the king, and there were as many gods as nations
[Rousseau]
|
19850
|
By separating theological and political systems, Jesus caused divisions in the state
[Rousseau]
|
19851
|
Every society has a religion as its base
[Rousseau]
|
19852
|
Civil religion needs one supreme god, an afterlife, justice, and the sanctity of the social contract
[Rousseau]
|
19853
|
All religions should be tolerated, if they tolerate each other, and support citizenship
[Rousseau]
|
7252
|
A tyrant exploits Christians because they don't value this life, and are made to be slaves
[Rousseau]
|
23607
|
Wars are between States, not people, and the individuals are enemies by accident
[Rousseau]
|