Social Contract: Rousseau (1762)
 

“Man is born free and yet everywhere he lives in chains.” (Rousseau, Social Contract 1:1) 

Liberty as a moral ends, rather than simply a means to an ends: Liberty itself is the highest moral good. Here's why:

The Social Contract: individuals must surrender their individual liberty (which is still that thing of the utmost highest value) to the General Will in order to maintain it; few if any individuals have the individual power to protect themselves from the threats of other individuals or groups (and/or individuals must also be protected from the drive to rule over others (slave holders must be protected from being immoral: infringing on another man's liberty)

The Sovereign: literally, who/whatever is in charge, whoever holds/rules the power (of police, military, whoever is given the power to carry out law (the king, the state); in Rousseau's terms: the political/power of the General Will.

Limits of the Sovereign:  By definition, moral sovereignty can only be that which protects the individual liberty; all else is tyranny (immoral power of one over another). (Here, Rousseau sows the seeds of the libertarian view; see William Godwin; see JS Mill)

The General Will: the will of all those in the society combined. Roughly speaking, the democratic consensus or outcome. Democracy.  But in Rousseau's terms, the greater good, the protection of all the individuals in that society; or, that which is best for the society.

Mob Rule and the General Will:

a) Why Moral General Will prevails: granted, many in the society will not vote for the general will (the greater good) but for self interest. These individuals will attempt to rule over others (which is inherently immoral; see liberty). However, generally, in a system of true equality, true democracy (one person, one vote, all people have equal vote) in theory at least, those who vote self interest will tend to cancel out one another, so the moral element will still rule.

b) Why Moral General Will is not enough: the system must also inherently protect the liberty of the minority; it must not allow the majority to tyranize the minority (slavery, gay marriage?)

Rousseau's Role of Reason Natural Law: morality is a function of Enlightenment Reason (not revelation). This is straight ahead Enlightenment theory: we hold these truths to be self evident...

Rousseau's Role of Sentiment/Emotion in Natural Law: man is inherently good. Absent corrupting forces (see Locke, experience) (see Origins of Inequality "property" etc.) man's inherent drive is toward pity and (ie charitas, agape self-less love) "If natural law were written only on the tablets of human reason it would be incapable of guiding the greater parts of our actions, but it is also written on the heart of man in characters that cannot be effaced, and it is there it speaks to him more strongly than all the precepts of the philosophers" (unfinished essay, State of War )

Rousseau's Political Theories in Practice:

Jefferson: the Bill of Rights.

The French Revolution
Libertarianism

Emancipation

Suffrage

Greatly influenced Marx and other Communist Theories.

Related concepts:

Egalitarianism vs. property: ex: Jefferson, inheritance issues: Aristocrycies tendency to affect tyranny thru property

Noble Savage: pastoral-ism

Sanctity and "truth: of children

Moral truths of nature accessed thru emotional exploration.