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Rousseau maintains that the state forms by means of a mutually-agreed-upon social contract. Once all the members of the state enter into that contract, they have to abide by its rules. So if I enter into the social contract with you, but I decide that I want to eat some tomatoes planted in your garden, to pursue my own self-interest, I might go steal your tomatoes. But it's not in the interest of the commonwealth that anyone steal from anyone else--so I'm pursuing my own interest at the expense of the common good (as well as at the expense of yours). I am forced to obey the rules of the commonwealth, because I agreed to the terms when I signed up. Rousseau's notion of personal liberty is not that everyone be free to do what he or she wants, but that everyone be free in the sense of *secure*.

So, I, the tomato thief, am "forced" to obey the rules of the commonwealth, which includes not stealing from you. In return, I live in the security provided by that commonwealth, which is the ultimate form of freedom, according to Rousseau.

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7y ago

Basically if you didn't want to sign the agreement among by the whole society that it would be governed by general will ,... Then others who do want to go on with there on self interests they would be forced to be free as long as they abide by the general will .

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Q: What did Rousseau mean when he stated that if any individual wants to pursue his own self-interest at the expense of the common good''he will be forced to be free?
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What did Rousseau mean when he stated that if any individual wants to pursue his own self interests at the expense of the common good He will be forced to be free?

Rousseau maintains that the state forms by means of a mutually-agreed-upon social contract. Once all the members of the state enter into that contract, they have to abide by its rules. So if I enter into the social contract with you, but I decide that I want to eat some tomatoes planted in your garden, to pursue my own self-interest, I might go steal your tomatoes. But it's not in the interest of the commonwealth that anyone steal from anyone else--so I'm pursuing my own interest at the expense of the common good (as well as at the expense of yours). I am forced to obey the rules of the commonwealth, because I agreed to the terms when I signed up. Rousseau's notion of personal liberty is not that everyone be free to do what he or she wants, but that everyone be free in the sense of *secure*. So, I, the tomato thief, am "forced" to obey the rules of the commonwealth, which includes not stealing from you. In return, I live in the security provided by that commonwealth, which is the ultimate form of freedom, according to Rousseau. Quoted from Elizabeth


What did Rousseau mean when he stated that if any individual wants to pursue his own self interest at the expense of the common good he will be forced to be free?

Rousseau maintains that the state forms by means of a mutually-agreed-upon social contract. Once all the members of the state enter into that contract, they have to abide by its rules. So if I enter into the social contract with you, but I decide that I want to eat some tomatoes planted in your garden, to pursue my own self-interest, I might go steal your tomatoes. But it's not in the interest of the commonwealth that anyone steal from anyone else--so I'm pursuing my own interest at the expense of the common good (as well as at the expense of yours). I am forced to obey the rules of the commonwealth, because I agreed to the terms when I signed up. Rousseau's notion of personal liberty is not that everyone be free to do what he or she wants, but that everyone be free in the sense of *secure*. So, I, the tomato thief, am "forced" to obey the rules of the commonwealth, which includes not stealing from you. In return, I live in the security provided by that commonwealth, which is the ultimate form of freedom, according to Rousseau. Quoted from Elizabeth


What did Rousseau mean when he stated that if any individual want to pursue his own self interest at the expense of the common good he will be forced to be free?

Rousseau maintains that the state forms by means of a mutually-agreed-upon social contract. Once all the members of the state enter into that contract, they have to abide by its rules. So if I enter into the social contract with you, but I decide that I want to eat some tomatoes planted in your garden, to pursue my own self-interest, I might go steal your tomatoes. But it's not in the interest of the commonwealth that anyone steal from anyone else--so I'm pursuing my own interest at the expense of the common good (as well as at the expense of yours). I am forced to obey the rules of the commonwealth, because I agreed to the terms when I signed up. Rousseau's notion of personal liberty is not that everyone be free to do what he or she wants, but that everyone be free in the sense of *secure*. So, I, the tomato thief, am "forced" to obey the rules of the commonwealth, which includes not stealing from you. In return, I live in the security provided by that commonwealth, which is the ultimate form of freedom, according to Rousseau. Quoted from Elizabeth


What did Rousseau mean when stated that if any individual wants to pursue his own self interests at the expense of the common good he will be forced to be free?

Rousseau maintains that the state forms by means of a mutually-agreed-upon social contract. Once all the members of the state enter into that contract, they have to abide by its rules. So if I enter into the social contract with you, but I decide that I want to eat some tomatoes planted in your garden, to pursue my own self-interest, I might go steal your tomatoes. But it's not in the interest of the commonwealth that anyone steal from anyone else--so I'm pursuing my own interest at the expense of the common good (as well as at the expense of yours). I am forced to obey the rules of the commonwealth, because I agreed to the terms when I signed up. Rousseau's notion of personal liberty is not that everyone be free to do what he or she wants, but that everyone be free in the sense of *secure*. So, I, the tomato thief, am "forced" to obey the rules of the commonwealth, which includes not stealing from you. In return, I live in the security provided by that commonwealth, which is the ultimate form of freedom, according to Rousseau. Quoted from Elizabeth


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Rousseau believed that society's controls on its people should be minimal, focusing on the common good and the general will. He argued that individuals should be free to act in accordance with the general will to maintain a just and harmonious society. Rousseau emphasized the importance of equality, individual freedom, and the social contract in shaping a fair and just society.


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Rousseau thought society was greater than the individual. Through the individual's involvement in society, one could succeed. He believed that humans were rational (like Locke) and believed in a state of nature. Now, a state of nature is the imaginative idea of a world without government. We would still have a modern society but not an government. With that in mind, Rousseau believed human beings would be rational and run society for the greater good if a state of nature existed.Also, Rousseau also criticized Hobbes often for his idea that humans were naturally greedy people, and that Hobbes' idea could not be rationally used in the state of nature.


What forms did Rousseau prefer?

Rosseeau asserts the idea of people's general will to be the governing body of the state. The collective body rules in the common interest without based on the individual bias. These ideas were total aleination of each individual to the entire community.


What do Locke Montesquieu and Rousseau have in common.?

Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau were all Enlightenment thinkers who contributed to political philosophy. They each believed in the importance of individual freedoms, the social contract, and the concept of government by the consent of the governed. Their works helped shape modern ideas about democracy and the role of government in society.


What enlightenment philosopher wrote of a social contract?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote about the social contract in his work "The Social Contract" (1762). He argued that individuals form a society by agreeing to abide by common rules for the benefit of the community. Rousseau's ideas influenced political thought on government and individual rights.


What might be the consequences to individuals and Society of too Great and emphasis on the common good at the expense of individual right?

There has to be both a consideration for the common good and individual rights. To have a government meet the needs of all citizens it must consider the common good of the society. To only address individual needs would mean that some citizens are left out of the political process.


What did Jean-Jacques Rousseau enlightenment thinkers believe?

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