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Swiss-born political [[philosopher]] '''Jean Jacques Rousseau''' (1712-1778) was an influential French essayist, prominent [[liberal]] and [[socialist]] social theorist and a leading [[Enlightenment]] thinker. As such, he was also considered to be the father of the modern left-wing.  He argued that [[politics]] and [[morality]] could not be separated, and that the will of the majority was not always correct. However, Rousseau also attacked [[private property]], and laid the groundwork for the [[French Revolution]] and [[Reign of Terror]], and by extension, laid the groundwork for future [[communist]] writers such as [[Karl Marx]].  Rousseau declared that government's goal should be to provide freedom, equality and justice. But note that freedom often results in inequality.

Swiss-born political [[philosopher]] '''Jean Jacques Rousseau''' (1712-1778) was an influential French essayist, prominent [[liberal]] and [[socialist]] social theorist and a leading [[Enlightenment]] thinker. As such, he was also considered to be the father of the modern left-wing.  He argued that [[politics]] and [[morality]] could not be separated, and that the will of the majority was not always correct. However, Rousseau also attacked [[private property]], and laid the groundwork for the [[French Revolution]] and [[Reign of Terror]], and by extension, laid the groundwork for future [[communist]] writers such as [[Karl Marx]].  Rousseau declared that government's goal should be to provide freedom, equality and justice. But note that freedom often results in inequality.

Rousseau's most famous work was ''The Social Contract'' (1762), which supported a direct [[democracy]] based on a "general will" rather than [[republicanism]] such as that adopted 25 years later by the [[U.S. Constitution]].  In it, he further develops the concept of the "[[social contract]]" established by [[Thomas Hobbes]] and [[John Locke]].  Rousseau disapproved of titles like nobility, and demanded complete equality between all people.

Rousseau's most famous work was ''The Social Contract'' (1762), which supported a direct [[democracy]] based on a "general will" rather than [[republicanism]] such as that adopted 25 years later by the [[U.S. Constitution]].  In it, he further develops the concept of the "[[social contract]]" established by [[Thomas Hobbes]] and [[John Locke]].  Rousseau disapproved of titles like nobility, and demanded complete equality between all people. He also was a [[Naturalism (Philosophy)|naturalist]], believing that people did not need God or the Church for morality, and just needed to look into nature for it.

Rousseau vehemently detested [[Catholicism]] along with other institutionalized as well as private forms of [[Christianity]], believing that mankind would be better off with his idea of a civil religion wedded to the state<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=IPZa0_Qx0koC&pg=PA16&dq=%22civil+religion%22+rousseau#PPA17,M1 ''Religion as a Public Good''], Alan Mittleman, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003

Rousseau vehemently detested [[Catholicism]] along with other institutionalized as well as private forms of [[Christianity]], believing that mankind would be better off with his idea of a civil religion wedded to the state<ref> [http://books.google.com/books?id=IPZa0_Qx0koC&pg=PA16&dq=%22civil+religion%22+rousseau#PPA17,M1 ''Religion as a Public Good''], Alan Mittleman, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003