POLI 107 1st edition Lecture 11Outline of Current Lecture Rousseau: At War with Himself:- His political theory could be considered an attempt at absolution: he sought to establish that humans are good so that he, at his core, is good- Left a legacy of potent social criticismAt War with the Enlightenment:- R. argued that science and the arts have not ushered in progress, leading us instead down a roadof moral decrepitude- Knowledge does not equal progress- Society has corrupted our innate goodness - The modern human condition is defined by alienation, which begets conflict, disappointment and misery- Our modern hero will seek true enlightenment through faith, sentiment and willTwo Phases of R’s PT:- First phase: social criticism- Second phase: a systematic response to existing PT - his contrary philosophyPrimary Targer: Individualism:- R. attacked the individualism of Locke and Hobbes, looking to Plato and classical Greek PT for inspiration- Two lessons:o Obedience was a matter of dutyo The community is the font of morality War against Natural Law & Egoism:- Society needs a genuine, sentimental bond between its memberso This is a product of shared language, history and interest, not natural lawThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- Egoism is a manifestation of particular social valueso Does not exist in nature Vs. State of Nature and Natural Man:- Construct of ‘state of nature’ and ‘natural man’ are contrivances designed to support a writer’s conclusions – no independent validity- Thumbed his nose at convention by using these constructs, too – admitting they are imaginary Discourse on Inequality:- Main thesis: self-interest is not the driving motive of human action and reason is not the ‘naturalfaculty’ guiding social relations- Instead: people tend to rely upon feeling – in particular pity- when interacting with others - Human beings are not naturally wicked, evil or coldly self-regarding – these are perverted imagesof the natural human- Natural humans are inclined toward compassion and goodnesso They are not threats or competitorsThe Noble Savage:- The noble savage is imagines to exist prior to society- It is rugged, independent and moved by spontaneous urges rather than reason- Simple needs and desires that are easily met by acting alone- The natural human tends toward a solitary existence that is also happy- Two key social instincts: self-love and pity (compassion)- Pity is our first instinct when confronting others in nature- The noble savage does not need much from other people: relationships are simplified and transitory- No need for norms to guide social behavior- No gravitational force pulling noble savages into communities: much of what the noble savage requires can be achieved through solitary effort- Because the noble savage is happy, it does not need to alter its conditionContra Hobbes:- Hobbes: state of nature is a state of war because the people are fearful for their survivalo Fear is an incentive to submit to government- Rousseau: Hobbes has it all wrong. People are naturally compassionate, so there is no fear of each other – no need for LeviathanR’s Critique of Modernity:- Modernity has not secured human fulfillment or perfection through reason, science and society- Leaving the state of nature has not enhanced the enjoyment of our lives or made us better peopleThe Tragic Story:- At some point, the natural human sees benefit in cooperation, which is facilitated by the pity instinct- Leads to conveniences that become ends rather than means - People begin to exploit their innate industriousness - As a result, human nature changes for the worse, leading to problems within and between people that increasingly worsen- The tragedy? We become willing agents of our descent into unhappiness and alienation- Our power to achieve greater goals increases our aspirations, which become harder to satisfy, leading to new aspiration that are harder to fulfill => progressive unhappiness- Reason swells our self-confidence beyond our capabilities- Moral of the story: we are better off relying upon instinct and sentiment over reasonFlaws of Association:- Cooperation leads to society, which imposes norms and morals that falsely promise to help us secure the things we want, but only make us unhappy- Society replaces the needs of the noble savage with the limitless aspirations of the arch rational egoist R’s Attack on Liberal ‘Equality’:- R. argues that liberal theory ignores economic inequality, and liberal government serves to maintain/increase gaps between classes- Equality before the law does not lead to economic equality, which is a material source of happiness- The liberal human is an unequal humanR’s Dual Conundrum:- If society is to be a moral force in human life, how can it materialize from a perverted society?o Answer: simplify and reform society; human nature can be changed for the better, using the noble savage as a ‘north star’- If government is a manifestation of society, what recourse can political theory offer?o Answer: government can promote society’s shared interests and moral standards (general will)The “General Will”:- Freedom is derived from the general will and secured by the government for all citizens- Outside of nature, only a government in service of the general will can make us human- We are made free by becoming subjects The Social Contract:- The Social Contract is R’s most extensive efforts at PT- It conveys the legitimacy of the general will to civil society- The contract is a formal expression of the general will as touching upon government- Government must guarantee freedom and equality- Achieved through law (indirect actions) as well as the redistribution of wealth and civic education (direct actions)Social Contract: Role of the Government:- Direct actions are justified because not all people are going to follow the general will even though they are disposed to follow it- In other words, the government must force some people to be free and happyThe general will is not oppressive:- The general will is the political will of the community aimed at the good of the whole community- The general will liberates the individual to pursue interests without interference- The rights and moral standards of the general will are inalienable Applying the general will? :- In practical terms, the general