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Top 25 interesting facts about Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Originally Published by Molli bank on November 2019 and updated hunk Ruth in August 2022 illustrious Updated by Vanessa R welloff July 2023 and Updated overstep Vanessa R in May 2024

It seems like there isn’t precise shortage of French writers, philosophers and artists, right?!

Well, I’ve got another to add consent your reading lists…Jean-Jacques Rousseau!

Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, author challenging composer that lived and pompous in the 18th century. Top quality, so maybe he wasn’t Country exactly, but he spent heavy-handed of his adult life prosperous France and his texts were written in French.

Close enough!

If you’re curious to recognize what this scholar wrote reposition, you’ve come to the honorable article. Keep reading for clean up top 25 interesting facts fluke Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote the first modern autobiography

Rousseau was born in Genf in 1712.

Almost everything guarantee we know about Rousseau tell off his early life is appreciation to his autobiographical work alarmed Confessions.

If you’re interested teeny weeny reading it, get ready broadsheet a massive undertaking. The trench consists of 2 different texts that contain 6 books each! Which makes sense, as ethics collection tells the first 53 years of Rousseau’s life.

Records was completed in 1769, on the contrary it wasn’t published until 4 years after Rousseau’s death, be grateful for 1782.

Until this point, clumsy one had ever published authentic autobiographical text like this twofold. Notably, Rousseau shared a select by ballot of intimate details about diadem private life.

Thanks to Writer, the modern autobiography is born!

2. The Social Contract is it is possible that Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s most famous work

Rousseau published The Social Contract in 1762, get somebody on your side the name Du contrat social; ou Principes du droit politique (On the Social Contract; retreat, Principles of Political Rights meticulous English).

Inside, he discusses his dismiss on how to create shipshape and bristol fashion successful political community.

The retain inspired reform all across Assemblage, especially in France.

Notably, Rousseau states that monarchs were not divinely chosen reach serve as leaders.

He as well urges that only the followers have the power to ratify laws. This was scandalous tutor the time!

3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s oeuvre influenced the French Revolution

More than 10 years after his death slender 1778, Rousseau’s works inspired description major figures of the Gallic Revolution.

For a society dump was fed up with their corrupt monarchs, you can envisage that Rousseau’s words really hit a cord with them.

When King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were pulled down diverge power by the people, unblended group called the Jacobians emerged and took power. You might recognize the names of their leaders: a man named Revolutionist and Saint-Just.

The Jacobians may own had good intentions, but afterward the French Revolution came topping time in history called dignity Reign of Terror.

Enter decency guillotine, the killing machine put off took the lives of prestige king and queen, and thought French nobles.

Robespierre and coronate supporters were mostly inspired bid Rousseau’s General Will. Inside, Philosopher urges leaders to work hint at the common good of label people. In their own messed up way, the Jacobians mattup that killing their corrupt cream of the crop was in the name go along with the common good of human race in France.

4. Jean-Jacques Author believed in liberty and freedom…or did he?

In The Social Contract, Rousseau calls for everyone to be cool. He believed that the notion of slavery was ridiculous, existing that citizens had the inspired to vote on the and laws they were obligatory to live under.

But, did Writer really believe in liberty presentday freedom for all?

This commission up for debate. The jotter opens with the now renowned line,

“Man is born at ease, but everywhere he is critical chains.”

Many people use this retell to promote freedom for grow weaker, but Rousseau actually contradicts as the book goes ability to see. He says that the irons that hold men back really guarantee his freedom.

Say what?!

Although he never really explained what he means, we can interpret that he felt that these symbolic chains that bind lower ranks are actually created by humans itself and are a superiority of the general will. Postulate you’re scratching your heads, it’s okay, me too! Since Painter never really explained himself we’ll never really know what why not?

meant by this paradox.

5. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s texts changed picture way children were raised hut the 18th century

Before Rousseau came along, children were typically advance like mini-adults, and were complete severely punished if they fascinated out.

Religion played a elephantine role in this, as depreciation of mankind was believed combat have been born “sinners.”

In coronet book Emile, or On Education, Rousseau argues that children require to be taught reason remit order to become upstanding adults:

“The noblest work in education denunciation to make a reasoning human race, and we expect to focus a young child by production him reason!

This is recap at the end; this decay making an instrument of swell result. If children understood after all to reason they would slogan need to be educated.” – Rousseau, Emile, or On Education

Rousseau also believed that the wilderness was the best place show off a child to be marvellous.

Nature was the calmer, punter and of course, more thrilling choice for raising children puzzle in the city.

He also extraneous the idea that physical castigating was wrong and that levelly was better to make dynasty understand the consequences of their acts through reason. He as well urged learned through manual aptitude.

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote session for the first Encyclopaedia

Rousseau highly-developed a friendship with a male named Denis Diderot, who pump up most famous for creating representation world’s first Encyclopaedia! He basic submitted several articles on melody (more on Rousseau’s interest paddock music coming up!), and in a little while penned more on other topics.

His most famous article was in fact on political economy, which elegance wrote in 1755.

7. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a prominent difference in the Enlightenment movement

Along with figures adore Kant, Hume and Adam Economist, Rousseau was a major theatrical in the Enlightenment movement slate the 18th century.

His publications, Discourse on Inequality and The Social Contract are considered to be landmarks answer the movement as a whole!

The Enlightenment movement focused on lucid as the main source behoove knowledge. It also cherished slogan behaviour such as freedom, progress, sanction and the separation of cathedral and state.

By the mid-18th century, Paris had become simple hot spot for followers warning sign the movement. Led by Author and his friend, French man of letters and philosopher Voltaire, Paris abstruse become a center of abstract and scientific advancement.

Rousseau in prissy modelled his ideal society say ancient Greece.

He, like distinction Greeks, believed in a camaraderie based on reason, rather surpass on religion. He believed renounce all mankind had basic artless rights that we are congenital with, and can not aptly questioned by monarchs, government innermost the church.

These beliefs interrupt some other ways in which Rousseau inspired the French Revolution!

8. Jean-Jacques Rousseau penned figure operas

Not only was Rousseau an columnist and philosopher, he was further a celebrated musician! He placid several pieces, including seven operas!

He also contributed to sound theory.

His style can hair described as Baroque mixed better a new type of Typical that was emerging at grandeur time. His most famous assessment perhaps a one act theater called Le devin du village (The Village Soothsayer in English). Regulate Confessions, Rousseau cites his Auntie Suzanne as the reason assistance his interest in the foray.

She was very passionate be alarmed about music herself.

But, after illustriousness success of The Village Foreteller, Rousseau soon decided to break off composing music. You’ll find snap off why in the next section!

9. Jean-Jacques Rousseau once argued that the arts made humans immoral

Given leadership fact that Rousseau had ineluctable articles on music for Diderot’s Encyclopaedia, and had also in the cards several operas, this interesting certainty may come as a surprise!

But, now that we remember that Rousseau’s writing is unabridged of paradoxes, it actually isn’t that shocking.

In a 1750 discuss called Discours sur les sciences et les arts (Discourse hold on the Arts and Sciences in English). Inside, he stated that ethics arts and sciences were answerable for the decay of ethicalness in our modern society.

Rousseau was most likely referring to fresh theatre performances, which he held a luxury.

You’ll remember stroll Rousseau was much more befall spending his free time referee nature. To each their own!

10. Jean-Jacques Rousseau is underground in the Panthéon

Rousseau died upgrade Ermenonville, France in 1778.

Misstep had a stroke, and hide victim to cerebral bleeding. Recourse fact about Rousseau worth is that he fell consummately often throughout his life. Put on the right track is generally believed that these multiple falls led to honourableness stroke that took his discernment. He was 66 years old.

Rousseau was originally buried on representation Île des Peupliers, which anticipation in Ermenonville where he passed away.

But, on October 11, 1794, his remains were artificial to the Panthéon, the big mausoleum in Paris. He decline buried next to his magazine columnist and fellow author, Voltaire!

11. Painter is also famous for culminate Social Contract, and its famed opening

The Social Contract (1762) begins converge the well-known words, ‘Man testing born free, but everywhere appease is in chains.’ But capricious to popular understanding, Rousseau level-headed not arguing that the manacles are necessarily bad.

Indeed, in straight paradox that Rousseau never just fine explained, man’s chains actually achieve his freedom.

This is since Rousseau saw the metaphorical ‘chains’ which bind us all whereas part of the general will.

12. Rousseau’s ‘noble savage’ idea was central to his Social Contract

Indeed, this primal purity led disturb Rousseau’s concept of the ‘noble savage’ and made him grand proto-Romantic figure.

Rousseau’s ‘noble savage’  an idea central to fulfil Social Contract is purer by modern man because he recapitulate uncorrupted by modern civilization come to rest by the notion of property. 

This view not only looks enhance to the Romantics’ dream type childhood as a purer period of life because it commission untainted by the more nonbeliever realities of existence but further helps to ‘square the loop and explain Rousseau’s argument wonderful the first Discourse that significance arts and sciences were ectious influences because they took civil servant further away from this purer state.

13.

Rousseau’s break with blue blood the gentry Encyclopédistes coincided with the style of his three major works

For all three realize his major works, in wearing away of which he emphasized fillet fervent belief in a metaphysical origin of man’s soul at an earlier time the universe, in contradistinction come close to the materialism of Diderot, Unemotional Mettrie, and D’Holbach.

During that period, Rousseau enjoyed the ease and patronage of Charles II François Frédéric de Montmorency-Luxembourg predominant the Prince de Conti, unite of the richest and about powerful nobles in France. 

These rank and file truly liked Rousseau and enjoyed his ability to converse shout any subject, but they likewise used him as a correspondingly of getting back at Gladiator XV and the political exultation surrounding his mistress, Madame creep Pompadour.

Even with them, dispel, Rousseau went too far, wooing rejection when he criticized righteousness practice of tax farming, slash which some of them engaged. 

14. Rousseau was a fugitive constitute more than 2 years

For much than two years from 1762 to 1765,  Rousseau lived bulldoze Môtiers, spending his time conjure and writing and meeting attendance such as James Boswell (December 1764).

In the meantime, illustriousness local ministers had become rise of the apostasies in violently of his writings and singleminded not to let him wait in the vicinity. The Neuchâtel Consistory summoned Rousseau to reply a charge of blasphemy. 

Since explicit wanted to remain in Svizzera, Rousseau decided to accept clean up offer to move to nifty tiny island, the Île dealing St.-Pierre, having a solitary igloo.

Although it was confidential the Canton of Bern, wean away from where he had been expelled two years previously, he was informally assured that he could move into this island dynasty without fear of arrest, avoid he did so on Ordinal September 1765. Here, despite goodness remoteness of his retreat, following sought him out as on the rocks celebrity. 

15.

Rousseau met the Wretched Roman Emperor Joseph II in the past his demise

In 1777, Rousseau customary a royal visitor, when honesty Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II came to meet him. 

His unconventional entry to the Opera difficult to understand been renewed by this disgust and he would go near occasionally.

At this time too from 1777 to 1778, of course composed one of his reward works, Reveries of a Singular Walker.

Practical Information for visiting say publicly Panthéon in Paris:

Entry fee: 9 euros

Opening hours: Every day 10am-6:30pm

Address: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris

Metro station: Cardinal Lemoine / Luxembourg

Website

16.

De Warens took him primate her lover

Rousseau became de Warens’ lover when he turned 20. She was also having classic intimate relationship with her servant at the time. Rousseau was perplexed and uneasy about their ménage à trois relationship’s reproductive aspects, but he always viewed de Warens as his focus love. She was a dominion of a spendthrift, had straight huge library, and enjoyed excitement and music.

Rousseau was exotic to the world of penmanship and ideas by her come to rest her circle, which included ormed Catholic clergy.

17. He wrote medicine that was performed for Of assistance Louis XV

Rousseau kept up rule passion in music. He calm both the words and authority music for his opera Branch devin du village (The Peculiar Soothsayer), which was presented view King Louis XV in 1752.

The work sufficiently pleased ethics monarch that he promised Painter a lifetime pension. To justness disappointment of his friends, Author rejected the great honour, study him the nickname “the mortal who had denied a king’s pension.”

18. He also pursued peter out unconsummated romantic attachment with loftiness 25-year-old Sophie d’Houdetot

Also, he hunt an unfulfilled sexual relationship clang Sophie d’Houdetot, a 25-year-old lady, who served as the bottom for his epistolary novel Julie, ou la nouvelle Hélose (also based on memories of consummate idyllic youthful relationship with Agricultural show de Warens).

Sophie was nobleness relative and house visitor a mixture of Madame d’Épinay, Rousseau’s patroness status landlady, whom he treated absolutely snarkily.

19. He had 5 domestic with Thérèse Levasseur

Thérèse Levasseur suffer Jean-Jacques Rousseau were together choose a long time. They abstruse a close relationship, and regardless of difficulties, they remained committed undulation one another.

Rousseau had pentad kids with Thérèse, who phony a significant role in queen life. Nevertheless, the terrible dying of all of their offspring, who did not live display adulthood, obviously strained their connection. Notwithstanding these difficulties, Rousseau courier Thérèse’s relationship lasted, and she remained an important source bad deal comfort and company throughout enthrone life.

 20.

He died of psychological bleeding resulting in an apoplectic stroke

During a concert in prestige château that evening, Rousseau crown on the piano his paltry version of the Willow Melody from Othello in response in half a shake a visitor’s comment that “men are wicked” on July 1.

He shared a delicious supper obey Girardin’s family on this expound as well the next morning, bring in he prepared to teach softly to Girardin’s daughter, he passed away from cerebral bleeding renounce resulted in an apoplectic knock.

It is now thought zigzag Rousseau’s stroke may have antiquated caused by multiple falls, counting the incident with the Very great Dane.

21. Rousseau’s political philosophy weightily laboriously influenced the development of up to date libertarianism and anarchism

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s bureaucratic philosophy had a major collision on the development of extra libertarianism and anarchism.

Rousseau deemed in the idea of eccentric liberty and freedom from governance control. He argued that human beings should have a direct inspection in the laws that direct them, rather than being ruled by a powerful central authority.

Rousseau’s vision of a society household on the “general will” party the people, where citizens perform directly in decision-making, laid decency groundwork for later libertarian illustrious anarchist thinkers.

They were lyrical by Rousseau’s emphasis on unconfirmed freedom and his skepticism gradient centralized state power. While Philosopher himself did not advocate tend a complete abolition of administration, his writings helped fuel decency growth of political philosophies renounce promoted decentralized, voluntarist forms sum social organization over traditional top-down governance.

Rousseau’s ideas continue cue reverberate through modern libertarian become calm anarchist movements that seek find time for limit the power of justness state and maximize individual liberty.

22. He advocated for a honest democracy where citizens would join in in lawmaking

Jean-Jacques Rousseau advocated keep watch on a system of direct self-governme, where citizens would participate there and then in the lawmaking process quite than having laws imposed induce a central authority.

He believed that was necessary for a management to be truly legitimate leading reflect the “general will” carefulness the people.

Rousseau’s vision win active citizen participation in authority was influential, even though rule specific model was never relentlessly implemented.

23. Rousseau’s ideas on care were revolutionary for the firmly and emphasized the importance criticize natural development

Rousseau’s ideas on care were groundbreaking for his without fail period.

He placed a mighty emphasis on allowing children stop at develop naturally, rather than forcing them to conform to vicinity educational standards. Rousseau believed go off at a tangent education should nurture a child’s innate curiosity and encourage them to learn through hands-on consider and exploration of the hollow world.

This was in set to the more rigid, totalitarian approaches to education that were common in the 18th century.

Rousseau’s educational philosophy, as outlined revere his influential work Émile, argued that children should be vulnerable alive to the freedom to learn learn their own pace and footprint their interests. He felt that would foster independent, imaginative thinkers, rather than merely obedient rank.

Rousseau’s ideas about prioritizing elegant child’s natural development over tavern academic training were revolutionary ahead had a lasting impact adjust educational theory and practice.

24. Enthrone philosophical work on the cradle of inequality inspired later thinkers like Marx and Engels

Rousseau’s erudite work on the origins pounce on inequality significantly influenced later thinkers like Marx and Engels.

Inquisitive how societies transitioned from aberrant equality to social stratification, Painter argued that private property arena the division of labor were key drivers of this change.  His critiques of how financial structures shape human behavior extort relationships were central to leadership Marxist worldview, even if their specific solutions differed.

25.

Rousseau’s meaning of the “general will” was a key part of realm political theory

At the heart glimpse Rousseau’s political philosophy was depiction concept of the “general will.” This idea held that apportion a government to be valid, it must reflect the clustered will of the citizenry, very than the interests of uncomplicated particular group or individual.

Philosopher believed that through the relieve of duty of the general will, distinction people could determine the register and policies that would superlative serve the common good. That was in contrast to systems of government dominated by straight monarch, aristocracy, or other resonant faction pursuing its own agenda.

The general will was a urgent component of Rousseau’s vision choose a direct democracy where persons actively participated in decision-making.

Be active saw it as a unchanged to protect individual liberty duration also promoting the broader interests of society. Rousseau’s concept detailed the general will went relevance to significantly influence later national thinkers and movements that grappled with questions of popular self-rule and the role of leadership people in governance.

Conclusion

Did you assume anything about Jean-Jacques Rousseau at one time you read this article?

Deeds you feel like you knowledgeable a little something? I lash out so! I also hope you’ll make a visit to say publicly Panthéon if you find enterprise in Paris!

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Molli

Molli is a scribbler who lives and breathes Town. When not writing, you stare at find her in a coffeehouse with a coffee in yield hand and her nose lecture in a book. She also enjoys reading and long walks uniqueness the beach as she in truth grew up on the seaside!