Political Science Assignment: POL Q

POL q ~
POLITICAL SCIENCE
ASSIGNMENT
BY – EKTA MALHOTRA
ROLL NO - 05
SECTION - C
Ques 1 - Patriarchy is a form of inequality in society. In relation to this
statement, elaborate the views of Rousseau and Ramabai.
Ans 1 –
J
ean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was the first political thinker to make
a text of his own life. His Confessions and Rousseau Judge of Jean-
Jacques are apologies for a life which went wrong. Some readers of the
Confessions find them embarrassingly frank; others point to how limited even
honest introspection was in a world of pre-Freudian innocence. By the very
magic of his style, no other political thinker could come anywhere near him. He
was one of the most controversial thinkers, as evident from the conflicting,
contradictory and often diametrically opposite interpretations that existed of the
nature and importance of his ideas. But sometime the affection which he
inspired in others sometimes turned into distaste, and even hatred.
Rousseau always seems to have been able to arouse strong passions in others,
not least in bluestocking upper-class women (about whom he could make
appallingly ungallant remarks). His most famous includes: Discourse on the
Sciences and Arts (1750), Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1755) and
Social Contract (1762). Of these, Discourse on the Sciences and Arts was the
product of a prize-winning essay in a contest organised by the Academy of
Dijon in 1749. His Rousseau’s second Discourse, i.e., the Discourse on the
Origin of Inequality (1755) is a more profound work. In this essay Rousseau
asserted that man is nice by nature but he became wretched under the influence
of the corrupt institutions created by an unnatural civilization. This state of
nature was a state of primitive simplicity and “idyllic blessing”. This boon was
lost by man when he became interested in scientific and literary activities. He
came to the conclusion that if man wants to recover the original happiness and
innocence, he must return to mature.
INEQUALITIES
Rousseau makes a distinction between two types of inequalities: Natural

inequality and Conventional inequality (i.e. moral and political inequality).
Natural inequality among men is manifested in the differences of their physical
strength, aptitude and character. Conventional inequality, on the other hand, is
the product of our civilization. This type of inequality could not exist in the
state of nature. Rousseau thinks that primitive man's major natural virtue is that
of pity which makes him understand directly the sufferings of others. It tends to
cultivate a sense of community and companionship among human beings in the
state of nature. Rousseau strongly believed that primitive societies like those of
the indigenous Americans and Africans were the 'best for man'. He argued that
the rise of civilization, far from being a boon, is always accompanied by costs
that are greater than its benefits.
When men learnt the art of control over nature and production through labour
for their consumption, conception of private property slowly entered into human
consciousness. This marked the real beginning of civilization which ruined
humanity.
In due course, the actual inequalities as manifested in the moral and political
inequalities became more glaring, and the slavery of most men to civilization
became more widespread.
In Social Contract Rousseau seems to make the point that the formation of civil
society has deprived man of his natural liberty. But he immediately proceeds to
ignore this question' and attempt a justification of this change He seeks
justification of authority in the natural agreement among men. Thus, he
observes: "Since no man has a natural authority over other men, and since might
never makes right, it follows that agreements are the basis for all legitimate
authority among men." When men abandon the state of nature to enter into civil
society through the social contract, their loss is handsomely compensated. As
Rousseau asserts, what man loses by the social contract is his natural liberty and
unlimited right to all which attracts him and which is within his reach. What he
gains is civil liberty and the property of what he possesses.
Rousseau's overall analysis of inequality sought to challenge the belief

associated with Enlightenment that the historical changes of his times had
brought about progress'. Rousseau's argument also implied that the Europeans
had promoted social inequality, they had subdued the primitive tribes of Africa
and the New World by means of violence; and they eulogized these
achievements as 'progress'.

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POL q ~

Rousseau makes a distinction between two types of inequalities: Natural

Rousseau's overall analysis of inequality sought to challenge the belief

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