Full Idea
Nothing is so gentle as man in his primitive state.
Gist of Idea
Primitive man was very gentle
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality [1754], Part II)
Book Reference
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.64
A Reaction
This summarises Rousseau's view of the earliest stage of mankind, when there was little rivalry, and little motivation or opportunity for viciousness.