Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men

Main Ideas

• Natural state of man: Rousseau asserts that in their natural state, people were equal and lived in harmony with nature, without property and social institutions.
• Emergence of society and property: Rousseau describes how the advent of private property and agriculture led to inequality and conflicts among people.
• Social inequality: Rousseau analyzes how social institutions, such as the state and laws, entrench and amplify inequality among people.
• Corruption and moral decay: Rousseau believes that civilization and progress lead to moral decay and corruption, distancing people from their natural state.
• Critique of modern society: Rousseau criticizes the society of his time for its injustice and inequality, calling for a return to more natural and just forms of social organization.