Freedom paradox: the reflection of being free in the social pact of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Abstract

Philosopher and novelist, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) can be considered one of the most complex authors of political philosophy. Seeking to solve the great question of this area, that is how the State can be legitimized, Rousseau argues for a theory of the pact, trying to justify the existence of the State as an artificial institution, founded by men. Supported by human nature, Rousseau’s purpose is to argue why men should submit themselves to the State and how it would be good to them. Trying to convince men of the benefits of civil status, Rousseau make a long study about the question of freedom, from its most primitive form, lived by man in the state of nature contained in the Second discourse, until
its most evolved for, in the civil state, presented in the Social contract. This article proposes to analyze the theoretical construction of what would be to be free in the two moments proposed by Rousseau, with the objective of explaining how this concept is able to base the argument of the author.