Who the Hell is Jean-Jacques Rousseau?: And what are his theories all about?

For students, teachers and curious minds, our carefully structured jargon-free series helps you really get to grips with brilliant intellectuals and their inherently complex theories. Written in an accessible and engaging way, each book takes you through the life and influences of these great thinkers, then takes a deep dive into three of their key theories in plain English. Smart thinking made easy!

A political philosopher hailing from Geneva, Rousseau was hugely influential in both the progress of the Enlightenment and also the French Revolution. His works are considered to be cornerstones in modern political, economic and educational thought. Who the Hell is Jean-Jacques Rousseau? looks at who Rousseau was as a person and how his life events and those he came into contact with influenced his ideas, before delving into his three key ideas. First we look at Rousseau's Second Discourse, getting to grips with what he meant when he said that nature makes humans equal, but society makes them unequal. Following on from his Second Discourse, Rousseau went on to offer a solution in the form of The Social Contract. This chapter explores the Contract and includes a discussion of his ideas on Power and Authority, a Just State, Positive and Negative Freedom and the Role of the Lawgiver. Finally, this book looks at Rousseau's treatise on education, Émile, written at the same time as The Social Contract. Here Rousseau suggests an education of the senses - letting your heart guide your faith, not your head.