PREVIOUSLY ASKED IN:
WBPSC Miscellaneous Preliminary 2023
Answer
J. J. Rousseau
Explanation
This famous quote is the opening line of the book 'The Social Contract' (1762), written by the Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He argued that while humans exist in a natural state of absolute freedom, modern civil society places them in oppressive political and social chains.
Key Points
- > Book: 'The Social Contract' (Du contrat social).
- > Published in: 1762.
- > Rousseau's ideas heavily influenced the French Revolution.
- > Montesquieu is famous for the theory of Separation of Powers.
- > Denis Diderot was a prominent figure during the Enlightenment (Encyclopédie).
- > Jean-Paul Sartre was a 20th-century existentialist philosopher.
- > Rousseau also introduced the concept of the 'General Will'.
Additional Information
Enlightenment Thinkers & Works
| Philosopher | Key Work | Key Idea |
|---|---|---|
| J.J. Rousseau | The Social Contract | General Will |
| Montesquieu | The Spirit of the Laws | Separation of Powers |
| John Locke | Two Treatises of Govt. | Natural Rights |
| Karl Marx | Das Kapital | Communism |
Memory Tips
- Think of Rousseau as the romantic philosopher who believed nature is free but society is a cage ('chains').