ROUSSEAU - THE FATHER OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
''Man is born free, but everywhere he is found in chains''
These noble words were dictated by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In his work span of about 50 years, Rousseau emphasised on the principles of INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM, PURITY OF A CHILD, FORMATION OF A STATE, and the most important ''Education through nature, education by nature.''
Rousseau was born in the 18th century (1712). This century was a huge changing phase in all means for Europe as well as the world. This was indeed the age of revolutions. He was born in such a critical phase of world condition. Such historical & cultural background indeed affected his line of thinking as well as his actions.
Rousseau's writings- Confessions, Social Contract, and Emilie are like a mirror to the prevailing condition of the world that time. Before going deep into the matter of these writings we should note that his writings were subject to the situation of the 18th century and that all of his principles can't be used in today's word completely. They can work as mere guidelines for the development of the various subjects he threw light on.
INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM
In the 18th century, the social conditions in France were unjust towards the lower strata of society. Slavery, Poverty, Unemployment, were the various problems this 3rd class of the society was facing. These people were denied of any type of Freedom. In this background, Rousseau put forward the idea of complete individual freedom. He rose his voice against all types of slavery- religious, political, and social. ' Man is born free, but everywhere he is found in chains', this line worked as a punchline for Rousseau's thinking. He was one of the first French thinkers to satirically criticize the existing system. He criticized all religious, political and social institutions which killed individual freedom. He put forth the idea that a man shouldn't be a part of any institution, should not live as a citizen but should live as a human being. He said,'' We must choose between a citizen and a man, for we can't make both.'' He said this because in the situation that time a citizen suffered from all kinds of unnecessary bondages. He urged the commoners to take the reverse of the accepted practice. He ruled out the idea of considering a child as a ‘miniature adult’. He proposed that a child has his own unique existence, his own mind, and his own feelings. He urged the people not to fill the child’s mind with ideas, ideals, education pattern, social thought or the concepts of citizenship. He believed that a child – if given complete individual freedom – can develop his own opinion. He expressed this thought of his in one line – ‘Nature wills that children should be children before they become men.’
PURITY OF A CHILD
According to the Christian belief, that time, it was said that every child is born due to a sin. So every child is impure & unlucky by birth. Because of this belief, hitting the child, giving her/him unfair punishments was religiously correct so as to make her/him pure. Rousseau opposed this kind of injustice & extreme violence implicated upon children. He said that a child is pure by birth. He proposed that a child is not born due to a sin but it is born due to a profound act of God himself. In this way, Rousseau brought about a revolution in the thinking of the common man. He taught the commoners to think more psychologically & logically and thus changed the perspective of looking at a child. He freed the people as well as the children from the clutches of religious thoughts and religious institutions.
STATE OF THE STATE
Rousseau brought about a revolutionary change in the concept of the formation and creation of a ‘state’. The prevalent concept was that a state is a divine creation. Rousseau ruled out this concept, saying that a state is just created by the society so that the restrictions necessary for a stable social life are conserved. He proposed that as the man moves away from nature he is subjected to more & more restrictions. And, for a stable social life, some of these restrictions are essential to regulate these restrictions in the job of the state.
EDUCATING MANKIND
Rousseau’s most important contribution was his though of education. He completely criticised the existent education system, that time. He wished, that education should be concentrated more on experience rather than theory. He said, “Geography should be learned by observation of hills and mountains, astronomy by the study of heavenly bodies, botany by practical study plants & history alone through books.” Thus, he revised and revolutionised the whole concept of education & schooling.
Rousseau’s thoughts inspired many generations which followed. He unknowingly created new leaders in the fields of politics, governance, education, religion and human philosophy and psychology. He is said to be not only the creator of a new thought but also a creator of new thinkers. Rousseau’s work inspired the French Revolution in a noble way. His line of thinking – “Give your scholar no verbal lessons. He should be taught experience alone.” – changed into the line of action of the French Revolution.
Therefore, Jean-Jacques Rousseau is rightly called the father and prophet of the French Revolution.
Rousseau’s thoughts inspired many generations which followed. He unknowingly created new leaders in the fields of politics, governance, education, religion and human philosophy and psychology. He is said to be not only the creator of a new thought but also a creator of new thinkers. Rousseau’s work inspired the French Revolution in a noble way. His line of thinking – “Give your scholar no verbal lessons. He should be taught experience alone.” – changed into the line of action of the French Revolution.
Therefore, Jean-Jacques Rousseau is rightly called the father and prophet of the French Revolution.
