Changes

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'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

ISBN 0742531252, 9780742531253, 336 pages, pp. 16-17</ref>. He also believed that the society had a duty toward the poor, to care for them, and to look after them, but interestingly he dumped all 19 of his own illegitimate children in charitable institutions, some of them Roman Catholic and expected them to take care of them.

ISBN 0742531252, 9780742531253, 336 pages, pp. 16-17</ref> He also believed that the society had a duty toward the poor, to care for them, and to look after them, but interestingly he dumped all 19 of his own illegitimate children in charitable institutions, some of them Roman Catholic and expected them to take care of them.

Aside from his work of ''The Social Contract'' as well as his role in supplying a blueprint for the French Revolution and Reign of Terror, he was also responsible for several of the aspects of modern education, including especially early childhood education, via his work ''Emile: or On Education''.

Aside from his work of ''The Social Contract'' as well as his role in supplying a blueprint for the French Revolution and Reign of Terror, he was also responsible for several of the aspects of modern education, including especially early childhood education, via his work ''Emile: or On Education''.