One of the most important writers of the Enlightenment was the philosopher and novelist Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). The work of Rousseau has influenced a generation and beyond and it is argued that the main ideals of the French and American revolutions arose from his works, for example The Discourse on Equality. The main concept of Rousseau's thought is that of 'liberty', and his belief that modern society forced humans to give up their independence, making …
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showed last 75 words of 2109 total
…justified mass murder, all for the general good. Historian Robert Nisbet declares: 'To strike off the chains was the objective Rousseau sent to all future revolutionaries and reformers, but with the message went another, more subtle but more powerful. True freedom lies in the individual's total surrender of self and all possessions, including rights, to the absolute community. From Rousseau to Lenin, that has been essentially collectivist - or communal - interpretation of true freedom' 19