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The Right Of Liberty, By Efrain Cabral Jr.

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The Right Of Liberty, By Efrain Cabral Jr.
The Right of Liberty, According to Rousseau by Efrain Cabral Jr.

“Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains… If I took into account only force, and the effects derived from it, I should say: ‘As long as a people is compelled to obey, and obeys, it does well; as soon as it can shake off the yoke, and shakes it off, it does still better; for, regaining its liberty by the same right as took it away, either it is justified in resuming it or there was no justification for those who took it away.’ But the social order is a sacred right which is the basis of all rights… The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty… Force is a physical power, and I fail to see …show more content…
In what sense can it be a duty?... For, if force creates right, the effect changes with the cause: every force that is greater than the first succeeds to its right. As soon as it is possible to disobey with impunity, disobedience is legitimate; and, the strongest being always in the right, the only thing that matters is to act so as to become the strongest… If we must obey perforce, there is no need to obey because we ought; and if we are not forced to obey, we are under no obligation to do so. Clearly, the word ‘right’ adds nothing to force: in this connection, it means absolutely nothing… Obey the powers that be. If this means yield to force, it is a good precept, but superfluous: I can answer for its never being violated… Let us then admit that force does not create right, and that we are obliged to obey …show more content…
The social contract is a good base of rights. It does well when it is obeyed, but when it is ignored, it is stronger. The people search for a way to retain their rights. The strongest person is never strong unless they force obedience and loyalty. The people are forced to obey because it is necessary, not of their own will. Because of this, the people do not have the right to choose to obey as force obliges them to obey. Rousseau suggests to follow oneself and if it means being disobedient, do it, although it isn’t necessary. One should have the right to do whatever one wants. In the end, how does force give people right, if it takes away their right to do their own
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