Comparing Rousseau And Jefferson
Rousseau and Jefferson
“The Declaration of Independence,” written by Thomas Jefferson, is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. “The Origin of Civil Society” is an article written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Jefferson writes about human rights because all men shall be equal and free; Rousseau writes about social contracts because by understanding the concepts of social contracts, the people will live with better security and significance. By analyzing these two articles, readers can see how important it is for a writer to understand the concepts from previous generation of writers, how much Rousseau’s ideas have influenced Jefferson’s statement, and how Jefferson has expanded Rousseau’s concepts.
In the opening of …show more content…
Rousseau says, “no man has natural authority over his fellows, and since Might can produce no Right, the only foundation left for legitimate authority in human societies is Agreement” (60). Therefore, readers can understand that there is no natural slave or ruler, and it is people who select their rulers after they have had “agreements” with their rulers. On the other hand, Jefferson writes, “that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (78). At this passage, Jefferson explains that governments are established by people who are “governed” based on their agreements with the governments. Moreover, he adds, “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness” (78). At this point, Jefferson has expanded Rousseau’s ideas and states clearly that once the “agreements” between the people and rulers are broken, the rulers can be overthrown, and people have rights to select a new ruler. Jefferson later supports his expansion by presenting
“The Declaration of Independence,” written by Thomas Jefferson, is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. “The Origin of Civil Society” is an article written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Jefferson writes about human rights because all men shall be equal and free; Rousseau writes about social contracts because by understanding the concepts of social contracts, the people will live with better security and significance. By analyzing these two articles, readers can see how important it is for a writer to understand the concepts from previous generation of writers, how much Rousseau’s ideas have influenced Jefferson’s statement, and how Jefferson has expanded Rousseau’s concepts.
In the opening of …show more content…
Rousseau says, “no man has natural authority over his fellows, and since Might can produce no Right, the only foundation left for legitimate authority in human societies is Agreement” (60). Therefore, readers can understand that there is no natural slave or ruler, and it is people who select their rulers after they have had “agreements” with their rulers. On the other hand, Jefferson writes, “that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (78). At this passage, Jefferson explains that governments are established by people who are “governed” based on their agreements with the governments. Moreover, he adds, “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness” (78). At this point, Jefferson has expanded Rousseau’s ideas and states clearly that once the “agreements” between the people and rulers are broken, the rulers can be overthrown, and people have rights to select a new ruler. Jefferson later supports his expansion by presenting