Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-78)

General Will

Rousseau’s main principal which made it the nations role to embody the collective will of the people in order to achieve the common good for all people in society

when Rousseau believed individuals should give up their freedoms and resources

Rousseau believed individuals should give up some of their resources and freedoms in order for society to reap the full benefits of the social contract

Self-determination

society should be self-governed where sovereignty is held through the entire nation and not in one dictatorial individual

nation-state

created by Rousseau as something people could owe allegiance instead of a monarchy

Third clause of the post revolutionary French constitution influenced by Roussea’’s ideas

“the source of all sovereignty is essentially in the nation”

Social Contract (1762)

Rousseau’s Key text

Revolutionary

rational nationalist

little value for culture and traditions

progressive towards society ruled by general will and representative democratic government