Rousseau: The Origins of Society

     Though man is a highly organized creature, when stripped of his resources, he is no stronger than most animals. The difference, according to Rousseau, is that animals choose by instinct, whereas man chooses by freedom. Within this reading, Rousseau traces the progressive denaturalization of man and the limitations on human freedom. He argues that it is the denaturalization which leads to our struggles.

      I find it interesting that Rousseau decides to look back into early human society to contemplate the origins of modern social structure. He effectively does so as he traces the origin of inequality. He theorizes, as humans began to settle in locations, they also began to develop preferences as well as property. People started to recognize and to humanize other members of society. Just as this triggered thoughts of civility and equality, in the same right, this leads to inequality. As the strong were able to develop land and to gain property, the rich took hold of the poor, using humans as resources in exchange for security. The development of property - including human property - becomes a first step towards social inequality. Rousseau continues to outline the development of this social dynamic through tracing the origins of law and property, to the development of government, and from legitimate to arbitrary powers.

         One of his more powerful arguments is that mankind is restricted by rules of a system which represses them. As I came to this argument, I began to conclude that it is man's job to revolt against this system, against the rules set up to repress us. To revolt against this system is to revert to our natural inclinations, and our individual freedom. This idea of revolt is reminiscent of the recent situations in Baltimore, Ferguson, and throughout the country. Though the media represents these scenarios as animalistic and barbaric, they are part of an attempted uprising against the continuous and unjust treatment of African Americans. Countless times, African American men have been unjustly killed at the hands of police officers, and brushed off. These riots are the black community's attempt at revolting against the system which represses them. It is not barbarism, but humanism which drives this movement.