Full Idea
The jurists who have gravely pronounced that the child of a slave woman is born a slave, have decided, in other words, that a man is not born a man.
Gist of Idea
If the child of a slave woman is born a slave, then a man is not born a man
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.74
A Reaction
The hidden premise of this enthymeme is that man is born free. A key issue of liberalism is the status of children. Are the children of religious believers automatically members of that sect? Can I be born a West Ham supporter?