Study Questions for Rousseau, On the Social Contract
1. What rationale does Rousseau give for writing this book?
2. What central question does he plan to address in the Social Contract?
3. What is the natural condition of all mature human beings? What is the role of the family? How is the family related to political society?
4. What position does Rousseau take on the claim that "might makes right"? What reasons does he give in support of his position?
5. Restate in your own words Rousseau's summary of his argument in the first paragraph of Chapter IV.
6. What is alienation and what does it have to do with political authority?
7. What is the argument for slavery as an outcome of a just war? What is Rousseau's position on this? What are his reasons?
8. What point does Rousseau make in Chapter V about the establishment of a government and the role of majority rule?
9. What is the fundamental problem facing individuals when confronted by the need to form a governing association? What must they achieve, according to Rousseau? How is this done? What is lost and what is gained in the process?
10. What is Rousseau's provisional definition of "republic", "state", "sovereign", "people", "citizen", and "subjects"?
11. What problem or tension arises with respect to the individual and the general will? What is the solution?
12. What features are gained with the institution of a civil state?
13. What is the difference between natural and civil liberty? What is "moral liberty"?
14. According to what principles or rationale are property rights determined (proprietary rights vs. mere possession)?
15. What are the conditions on "the right of first occupant"?
16. Why does Rousseau think the "general will" is the only course a state can follow to reach the common good?
17. Why is sovereignty "indivisible"?
18. What is the difference between "the general will" and "the will of all"? Why is the will of all fallible?
19. How does Rousseau think the general will can be calculated?
20. How is an "act of sovereignty" defined? What makes it legitimate, equitable, useful, and solid?
21. What is given up in the social contract and what is gained in exchange for each of the things given up?
22. What is the nature and origin of justice? Why are laws needed in human societies?
23. Rousseau claims that "the object of the laws is always general". What does he mean by this and what justification does he offer?
24. How does Rousseau define "republic"? What reasons does he give?
25. Who is in the best position to establish laws and why?
26. How does Rousseau characterize equality?
27. What causes every "free action" of a person? How does this compare to actions of the "body politic"?
28. What reason is there to have a government? What is the definition and role of government?
T. R. Quigley, 1997.