Book I

What do you think Rousseau means by “man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains”?

What is Rousseau trying to explain in this work?

How does the family compare to political societies?

Can force create duty?

Why can slavery not create rights or duties?

What is the fundamental problem he identifies?

What is the social pact?

How does the pact force us to be free?

How does the creation of the state change people?

What is the difference between public and private land?

How does the creation of the state make people more equal?


Book II

What is the general will?

How does the general will direct the state?

What is the difference between the will of all and the general will?

What duties do we owe the state?

What rights do we have as individuals?

What is law?

What is required for the law to conform to the general will?

What limits the size of government?

How does Rousseau define liberty and equality as the ends of the state?

What are the four types of laws?
 

---remainder---

• The Social Contract

• Law

  • nature of the law

  • types of law

• Government

  • definition

  • types

• Degeneration of the Contract

• Prevention of Degeneration

• The Role of the People

  • renewing the contract

  • the life of the general will

  • Voting and Elections

  • Examples

• Civil (State) Religion