authors:
- Rousseau, Jean-Jacques
content: Yes, it is a classic. But dare I say it? It isn't very good. In fact, it
  is rather bad. Rousseau is overrated. His idea about the development of society
  out of a bunch of asocial individuals (not "noble savages") has been thoroughly
  debunked by evolutionary history. Its use as a hypothetical basis for political
  theory through the vague notion of the "general will" has generated more confusion
  than clarity. And the latter parts of the Social Contract, with their climate-based
  notions of governance, and other weird comments, are just bizarre. No, I do not
  approve.
date: '2022-06-09'
edition:
  published: '2012'
  publisher: University of Chicago Press
goodreads: '13593282'
html: '<p>Yes, it is a classic. But dare I say it? It isn''t very good. In fact, it
  is rather bad. Rousseau is overrated. His idea about the development of society
  out of a bunch of asocial individuals (not &quot;noble savages&quot;) has been thoroughly
  debunked by evolutionary history. Its use as a hypothetical basis for political
  theory through the vague notion of the &quot;general will&quot; has generated more
  confusion than clarity. And the latter parts of the Social Contract, with their
  climate-based notions of governance, and other weird comments, are just bizarre.
  No, I do not approve.</p>

  '
isbn: '9780226921860'
language: en
lastmod: '2022-06-09'
path: /library/rousseau-1762.html
published: '1762'
rating: 1
reference: Rousseau 1762
reviewed: '2022-06-09'
subjects:
- enlightenment
- morality
- political-philosophy
title: 'The Major Political Writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Two "Discourses"
  and the "Social Contract"'
type: book
year: 1762