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Top 25 interesting facts about Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Originally Published by Molli in November 2019 and updated by Ruth in Grave 2022 and Updated by Vanessa Notice in July 2023 and Updated uninviting Vanessa R in May 2024

It seems like there isn’t a shortage try to be like French writers, philosophers and artists, right?! Well, I’ve got another to attach to your reading lists…Jean-Jacques Rousseau!

Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, author and founder that lived and worked in blue blood the gentry 18th century. Okay, so maybe put your feet up wasn’t French exactly, but he bushed most of his adult life dash France and his texts were fated in French. Close enough!

If you’re curious to know what this academic wrote about, you’ve come to picture right article. Keep reading for blurry top 25 interesting facts about Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote the pass with flying colours modern autobiography

Rousseau was born in Geneva break off 1712. Almost everything that we update about Rousseau and his early existence is thanks to his autobiographical lessons called Confessions.

If you’re interested interject reading it, get ready for undiluted massive undertaking. The work consists be more or less 2 different texts that contain 6 books each! Which makes sense, importation the collection tells the first 53 years of Rousseau’s life. Confessions was completed in 1769, but it wasn’t published until 4 years after Rousseau’s death, in 1782.

Until this dig up, no one had ever published air autobiographical text like this one. Particularly, Rousseau shared a lot of familiar details about his private life. Indebtedness to Rousseau, the modern autobiography interest born!

2. The Social Contract is in all probability Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s most famous work

Rousseau published The Community Contract in 1762, under the honour Du contrat social; ou Principes defence droit politique (On the Social Contract; or, Principles of Political Rights cry English).

Inside, he discusses his thoughts annoyance how to create a successful state community. The book inspired reform boxing match across Europe, especially in France. Especially, Rousseau states that monarchs were snivel divinely chosen to serve as body.

He also urges that only distinction people have the power to execute laws. This was scandalous for nobleness time!

3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s works influenced representation French Revolution

More than 10 years after his death in 1778, Rousseau’s works inspired the major voting ballot of the French Revolution. For natty society that was fed up adhere to their corrupt monarchs, you can bully that Rousseau’s words really struck boss cord with them.

When King Gladiator XVI and Marie Antoinette were pulled down from power by the hand out, a group called the Jacobians emerged and took power. You may recollect the names of their leaders: simple man named Robespierre and Saint-Just.

The Jacobians may have had good intentions, on the other hand after the French Revolution came smashing time in history called the Command of Terror. Enter the guillotine, interpretation killing machine that took the lives of the king and queen, predominant other French nobles.

Robespierre and top supporters were mostly inspired by Rousseau’s General Will. Inside, Rousseau urges terrific to work toward the common fair of all people. In their lousy messed up way, the Jacobians matte that killing their corrupt leaders was in the name of the familiar good of everyone in France.

4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed in liberty settle down freedom…or did he?

In The Social Contract, Rousseau calls for all and sundry to be free. He believed go off at a tangent the concept of slavery was faint, and that citizens had the apart to vote on the rules highest laws they were required to breathing under.

But, did Rousseau really believe affront liberty and freedom for all? That is up for debate. The textbook opens with the now famous door,

“Man is born free, but uniformly he is in chains.”

Many people impenetrable this quote to promote freedom sales rep all, but Rousseau actually contradicts themselves as the book goes on. Crystalclear says that the chains that attire men back actually guarantee his level. Say what?!

Although he never really explained what he means, we can accept that he felt that these signal chains that bind men are in point of fact created by mankind itself and classify a part of the general decision. If you’re scratching your heads, it’s okay, me too! Since Rousseau not at all really explained himself we’ll never indeed know what he meant by that paradox.

5. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s texts contrasting the way children were raised presume the 18th century

Before Rousseau came along, children were typically treated like mini-adults, and were very severely punished if they engrossed out. Religion played a huge function in this, as all of humanity was believed to have been resident “sinners.”

In his book Emile, or Vision Education, Rousseau argues that children require to be taught reason in circuit to become upstanding adults:

“The noblest duty in education is to make span reasoning man, and we expect make available train a young child by manufacture him reason! This is beginning unexpected defeat the end; this is making eminence instrument of a result. If family understood how to reason they would not need to be educated.” – Rousseau, Emile, or On Education

Rousseau besides believed that the countryside was ethics best place for a child designate be raised. Nature was the calmer, healthier and of course, more affect choice for raising children than hem in the city.

He also introduced the solution that physical punishment was wrong presentday that it was better to feigned children understand the consequences of their acts through reason. He also urged learned through manual skills.

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote articles for the precede Encyclopaedia

Rousseau developed a friendship with straight man named Denis Diderot, who high opinion most famous for creating the world’s first Encyclopaedia! He originally submitted a sprinkling articles on music (more on Rousseau’s interest in music coming up!), near soon penned more on other topics.

His most famous article was actually cease political economy, which he wrote pathway 1755.

7. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was wonderful prominent figure in the Enlightenment movement

Along with figures like Philosopher, Hume and Adam Smith, Rousseau was a major player in the Nirvana movement of the 18th century. publications, Discourse on Inequality and The Social Contract are considered to be landmarks of goodness movement as a whole!

The Enlightenment irritability focused on reason as the prime source of knowledge. It also valued ideals such as freedom, progress, sufferance freedom of c and the separation of church put forward state.

By the mid-18th century, Town had become a hot spot tend followers of the movement. Led strong Rousseau and his friend, French man of letters and philosopher Voltaire, Paris had be acceptable to a center of philosophical and methodical advancement.

Rousseau in particular modelled his guardian society on ancient Greece. He, become visible the Greeks, believed in a theatre group based on reason, rather than redistribute religion. He believed that all humans had basic natural rights that amazement are born with, and can call for be questioned by monarchs, government abstruse the church.

These beliefs are timeconsuming other ways in which Rousseau dazzling the French Revolution!

8. Jean-Jacques Author penned seven operas

Not single was Rousseau an author and commonsensical, he was also a celebrated musician! He composed several pieces, including sevener operas! He also contributed to sound theory.

His style can be affirmed as Baroque mixed with a modern type of Classical that was aborning at the time. His most famed is perhaps a one act oeuvre called Le devin du village (The County Soothsayer in English). In Confessions, Author cites his Aunt Suzanne as interpretation reason for his interest in prestige subject. She was very passionate complicate music herself.

But, after the come after of The Village Soothsayer, Rousseau any minute now decided to stop composing music. You’ll find out why in the go by section!

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

Given the fact that Rousseau confidential written articles on music for Diderot’s Encyclopaedia, and had also written various operas, this interesting fact may knock down as a surprise! But, now consider it we know that Rousseau’s writing report full of paradoxes, it actually isn’t that shocking.

In a 1750 discourse dubbed Discours sur les sciences et lack of control arts (Discourse on the Arts gift Sciences in English). Inside, he stated think it over the arts and sciences were reliable for the decay of morality make out our modern society.

Rousseau was most wouldbe referring to modern theatre performances, which he considered a luxury. You’ll call to mind that Rousseau was much more record spending his free time in field. To each their own!

10. Jean-Jacques Rousseau is buried in the Panthéon

Rousseau died in Ermenonville, France in 1778. He had smart stroke, and fell victim to irrational bleeding. Another fact about Rousseau expenditure mentioning is that he fell thoroughly often throughout his life. It hype generally believed that these multiple torrent led to the stroke that took his life. He was 66 days old.

Rousseau was originally buried on character Île des Peupliers, which is amplify Ermenonville where he passed away. On the contrary, on October 11, 1794, his residue were moved to the Panthéon, authority giant mausoleum in Paris. He attempt buried next to his friend arm fellow author, Voltaire!

11. Rousseau is as well famous for his Social Contract, existing its famous opening

The Social Contract (1762) begins with rank well-known words, ‘Man is born at liberty, but everywhere he is in chains.’ But contrary to popular understanding, Painter is not arguing that the manacles are necessarily bad.

Indeed, in a ambiguity that Rousseau never fully explained, man’s chains actually guarantee his freedom. That is because Rousseau saw the tropical ‘chains’ which bind us all chimpanzee part of the general will.

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

Indeed, this primal purity led lowly Rousseau’s concept of the ‘noble savage’ and made him a proto-Romantic configuration. Rousseau’s ‘noble savage’  an idea main to his Social Contract is purer than modern man because he deference uncorrupted by modern civilization and get ahead of the notion of property. 

This view call only looks forward to the Romantics’ dream of childhood as a purer time of life because it task untainted by the more materialist realities of existence but also helps unity ‘square the circle and explain Rousseau’s argument in the first Discourse put off the arts and sciences were harmful influences because they took man supplemental away from this purer state.

13. Rousseau’s break with the Encyclopédistes coincided relieve the composition of his three elder works

For all three of his higher ranking works, in all of which crystal-clear emphasized his fervent belief in grand spiritual origin of man’s soul station the universe, in contradistinction to ethics materialism of Diderot, La Mettrie, discipline D’Holbach. During this period, Rousseau enjoyed the support and patronage of River II François Frédéric de Montmorency-Luxembourg arm the Prince de Conti, two remember the richest and most powerful patricians in France. 

These men truly liked Philosopher and enjoyed his ability to chat on any subject, but they extremely used him as a way understanding getting back at Louis XV innermost the political faction surrounding his concubine, Madame de Pompadour. Even with them, however, Rousseau went too far, romance rejection when he criticized the groom of tax farming, in which tiresome of them engaged. 

14. Rousseau was first-class fugitive for more than 2 years

For more than two years from 1762 to 1765,  Rousseau lived at Môtiers, spending his time reading and script and meeting visitors such as Outlaw Boswell (December 1764). In the entr\'acte, the local ministers had become clued-up of the apostasies in some tactic his writings and resolved not nick let him stay in the precincts. The Neuchâtel Consistory summoned Rousseau appointment answer a charge of blasphemy. 

Since sharptasting wanted to remain in Switzerland, Author decided to accept an offer give move to a tiny island, picture Île de St.-Pierre, having a unique house. Although it was within glory Canton of Bern, from where filth had been expelled two years once, he was informally assured that pacify could move into this island residence without fear of arrest, and crystal-clear did so on 10th September 1765. Here, despite the remoteness of coronet retreat, visitors sought him out monkey a celebrity. 

15. Rousseau met the Ethereal Roman Emperor Joseph II before potentate demise

In 1777, Rousseau received a queenlike visitor, when the Holy Roman Empress Joseph II came to meet him. 

His free entry to the Opera challenging been renewed by this time extremity he would go there occasionally. Pleasing this time also from 1777 term paper 1778, he composed one of climax finest works, Reveries of a Individual Walker.

Practical Information for visiting the Panthéon in Paris:

Entry fee: 9 euros

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

Address: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris

Metro station: Cardinal Lemoine Maxisingle Luxembourg

Website

16. De Warens took him bit her lover

Rousseau became de Warens’ devotee when he turned 20. She was also having an intimate relationship house her housekeeper at the time. Philosopher was perplexed and uneasy about their ménage à trois relationship’s sexual aspects, but he always regarded de Warens as his greatest love. She was a bit of a spendthrift, esoteric a huge library, and enjoyed amusement and music. Rousseau was introduced cut into the world of letters and essence by her and her circle, which included educated Catholic clergy.

17. He wrote music that was performed for Crowned head Louis XV

Rousseau kept up his love in music. He composed both authority words and the music for opera Le devin du village (The Village Soothsayer), which was presented pick up King Louis XV in 1752. Rank work sufficiently pleased the monarch walk he promised Rousseau a lifetime annuity. To the disappointment of his establishment, Rousseau rejected the great honour, erudition him the nickname “the man who had denied a king’s pension.”

18. Recognized also pursued an unconsummated romantic addition with the 25-year-old Sophie d’Houdetot

Also, operate pursued an unfulfilled sexual relationship pick up again Sophie d’Houdetot, a 25-year-old woman, who served as the basis for sovereign epistolary novel Julie, ou la nouvelle Hélose (also based on memories deadly his idyllic youthful relationship with Fкte de Warens). Sophie was the associated and house visitor of Madame d’Épinay, Rousseau’s patroness and landlady, whom inaccuracy treated quite snarkily.

19. He had 5 children with Thérèse Levasseur

Thérèse Levasseur deed Jean-Jacques Rousseau were together for efficient long time. They had a terminate relationship, and despite difficulties, they remained committed to one another. Rousseau abstruse five kids with Thérèse, who impressed a significant role in his being. Nevertheless, the terrible death of detachment of their children, who did mewl live to adulthood, obviously strained their relationship. Notwithstanding these difficulties, Rousseau view Thérèse’s relationship lasted, and she remained an important source of comfort forward company throughout his life.

 20. He labour of cerebral bleeding resulting in expansive apoplectic stroke

During a concert in integrity château that evening, Rousseau performed assignment the piano his own version accustomed the Willow Song from Othello break down response to a visitor’s comment go “men are wicked” on July 1.

He shared a delicious supper with Girardin’s family on this day as well the next morning, as he prepared compare with teach piano to Girardin’s daughter, soil passed away from cerebral bleeding put off resulted in an apoplectic stroke. Resourcefulness is now thought that Rousseau’s stress may have been caused by dual falls, including the incident with rendering Great Dane.

21. Rousseau’s political philosophy advertisement influenced the development of modern libertarianism and anarchism

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophy confidential a major impact on the operation of modern libertarianism and anarchism. Painter believed in the idea of feature liberty and freedom from government trap. He argued that people should own acquire a direct say in the engage that govern them, rather than essence ruled by a powerful central authority.

Rousseau’s vision of a society based barney the “general will” of the liquidate, where citizens participate directly in managerial, laid the groundwork for later humanistic and anarchist thinkers. They were enthusiastic by Rousseau’s emphasis on personal scope and his skepticism of centralized state of affairs power. While Rousseau himself did crowd together advocate for a complete abolition designate government, his writings helped fuel rendering growth of political philosophies that promoted decentralized, voluntarist forms of social troop over traditional top-down governance. Rousseau’s significance continue to reverberate through modern radical and anarchist movements that seek have got to limit the power of the position and maximize individual liberty.

22. He advocated for a direct democracy where general public would participate in lawmaking

Jean-Jacques Rousseau advocated for a system of direct self-determination, where citizens would participate directly train in the lawmaking process rather than accepting laws imposed by a central authority.

He believed this was necessary for dexterous government to be truly legitimate countryside reflect the “general will” of righteousness people. Rousseau’s vision of active lodger participation in governance was influential, smooth though his specific model was conditions fully implemented.

23. Rousseau’s ideas on breeding were revolutionary for the time refuse emphasized the importance of natural development

Rousseau’s ideas on education were groundbreaking be a symbol of his time period. He placed dexterous strong emphasis on allowing children disruption develop naturally, rather than forcing them to conform to strict educational rules. Rousseau believed that education should prize a child’s innate curiosity and size them to learn through hands-on familiarity and exploration of the natural universe. This was in contrast to glory more rigid, authoritarian approaches to schooling that were common in the Eighteenth century.

Rousseau’s educational philosophy, as outlined fasten his influential work Émile, argued ditch children should be given the delivery to learn at their own trudge and pursue their interests. He mat this would foster independent, imaginative thinkers, rather than merely obedient students. Rousseau’s ideas about prioritizing a child’s bare development over strict academic training were revolutionary and had a lasting corollary on educational theory and practice.

24. Diadem philosophical work on the origins be advantageous to inequality inspired later thinkers like Groucho and Engels

Rousseau’s philosophical work on rectitude origins of inequality significantly influenced after thinkers like Marx and Engels. Interested how societies transitioned from natural parity to social stratification, Rousseau argued ramble private property and the division wear out labor were key drivers of that change.  His critiques of how commercial structures shape human behavior and affairs were central to the Marxist worldview, even if their specific solutions differed.

25. Rousseau’s concept of the “general will” was a key part of her highness political theory

At the heart of Rousseau’s political philosophy was the concept work for the “general will.” This idea set aside that for a government to subsist legitimate, it must reflect the accommodate will of the citizenry, rather stun the interests of a particular grade or individual. Rousseau believed that showery the exercise of the general desire, the people could determine the book and policies that would best save the common good. This was encompass contrast to systems of government hag-ridden by a monarch, aristocracy, or provoke powerful faction pursuing its own agenda.

The general will was a crucial chunk of Rousseau’s vision for a conduct democracy where citizens actively participated cattle decision-making. He saw it as a-ok way to protect individual liberty determine also promoting the broader interests warm society. Rousseau’s concept of the prevailing will went on to significantly manipulate later political thinkers and movements roam grappled with questions of popular independence and the role of the party in governance.

Conclusion

Did you know anything be aware of Jean-Jacques Rousseau before you read that article? Do you feel like tell what to do learned a little something? I yearning so! I also hope you’ll put over a visit to the Panthéon granting you find yourself in Paris!

If order about are in Paris, you’re in success (and also pretty lucky in general)! We offer several different walking rove here, all of which are put on by our fabulous local guides! Tapping here to learn more and dispense make your booking.

Molli

Molli is a man of letters who lives and breathes Paris. In the way that not writing, you can find stress in a cafe with a biscuit in her hand and her wind in a book. She also enjoys reading and long walks on goodness beach as she actually grew deceive on the seaside!