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Letter to the Republic of Geneva
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Critique of the Enlightenment
Natural vs. Artificial Inequality
Morality and Self-Preservation
The Illusion of Progress
Summary
Analysis
In the discourse that will follow the Preface, Rousseau plans to explore the relationship between human nature and society. He distinguishes between two types of inequality: natural inequality, which arises from differences in physical and mental attributes, and moral or political inequality, which emerges from societal structures that bestow privileges on some at the expense of others (such as wealth, honor, and power). Rousseau rejects the notion that natural inequality justifies the inequalities of power or wealth, arguing that such assumptions are unfounded and serve only to perpetuate social injustices.
The preface to the Discourse establishes Rousseau’s key distinction between natural and moral or political inequality, framing the core philosophical investigation that follows. By rejecting the notion that natural inequalities justify societal disparities, Rousseau challenges the foundation of existing social hierarchies. His critique demonstrates the artificiality of political inequality, portraying it as a historical construct rather than an inevitable extension of human nature.
Themes
Rousseau critiques other philosophers for projecting societal concepts like justice and authority onto an imagined state of nature, asserting that these ideas are products of society rather than inherent to humanity’s natural condition. He questions the validity of the supposed “state of nature” described by these thinkers, proposing instead that human inequality and societal structures stem from historical developments rather than any natural law.
Rousseau’s preface signals his intent to dismantle the assumptions of previous philosophers, accusing them of conflating the products of society with innate human characteristics. This critical stance reflects Rousseau’s broader intellectual project of stripping away the layers of artifice imposed by civilization to reveal the fundamental nature of humanity.
Themes
