As a teenager, Jean-Jacques Rousseau supported himself as a servant, tutor and secretary in Italy and France. [1]
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born on 28 June 1712 in Geneva, Switzerland, grew up amidst the quiet turmoil of early 18th-century Europe. His mother died shortly after his birth, leaving him in the care of a father who, though loving, soon abandoned him. As a boy, Rousseau faced a life of hardship, wandering the streets and learning to navigate the world without the comfort of family. His education was fractured, as formal schooling eluded him, yet it was through these very experiences that he began to develop his distinctive voice.
By his late teens, Rousseau found work as an apprentice to an engraver, but his insatiable curiosity led him to the broader world of ideas. It was not long before the young man turned his focus towards literature, drawn to the philosophies of the Enlightenment, even as he wrestled with the contradictions within himself and society. His first notable foray into writing came in the form of Discourse on the Arts and Sciences (Discours sur les sciences et les arts, 1750), a work that would set him on the path to literary renown.
In this early essay, Rousseau posed the question: Has civilisation’s advancement led to humanity’s moral decay? This inquiry, posed with poetic vigour and intellectual daring, earned him the prestigious Academy of Dijon prize. Yet, this victory was merely a prelude to the philosophical masterpiece that would follow. In The Social Contract (Du Contrat Social, 1762), Rousseau introduced his radical ideas about political philosophy, articulating the concept of the “general will” and arguing for a form of government rooted in the collective sovereignty of the people.
But it was Emile, or On Education (Émile ou de l’éducation, 1762), a treatise on education, that would cement his place in literary history. With lyrical eloquence, Rousseau championed a return to nature, arguing that true education should allow a child to develop untainted by society’s corruption. This call for a return to innocence, wrapped in prose that combined both passion and reason, resonated deeply with his contemporaries and has influenced educators and thinkers for generations.
Rousseau’s early life, marked by personal struggles, combined with his intellectual vision, brought forth a body of work that would resonate for centuries. His literary accomplishments, profound in their simplicity, paved the way for the modern understanding of the self, society, and the transformative power of education.
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