Jean Jacques Russo and the French Revolution

Abstract

The French Revolution was preceded by a long intellectual and ideological preparation that was significantly marked by works of Jean Jacques Rousseau, especially by his Social contract. Hence, the Rousseau is one of many french thinkers whose teachings influenced this epochal event and inspired french revolutionaries during the whole revolutionary period. It is considered that Rousseau announced the French revolution and was its guide. From Burke to Quinet and Taine, many in the French revolution recognized precisely his dominant influence. And they were right, especially if we take into consideration the widely accepted Francois Furet's opinion on how exactly the Revolution proclaimed itself the heir of Rousseau and that Rousseau's principle according to which no one can rule unless authorized by the people, gathered without differences, all the revolutionary currents. Taking into account his undoubted contribution and the fact that his political theory in general, and especially his concept of indivisible and inalienable popular sovereignty, despite certain internal contradictions, is the culmination and ultimate logical consequence of the pre-revolutionary bourgeois political thought, the author's intention in this work is to show how Rousseauism influenced the French revolution and the political activities of the revolutionary leaders.

Keywords

• french revolution
• jean-jacques rousseau
• general will
• people's sovereignty