Engraved in the Heart: How Rousseau’s Citizens are Motivated Toward the Common Good

While Jean-Jacques Rousseau firmly defended the capacity of ordinary people to make good decisions for themselves, he did not view them as doing so naturally. In his view, they have to be educated and formed into citizens to be capable of sound decision making. But what is the nature of this education? For one prominent interpretive line, the Social Autonomy interpretation, the transformation occurs primarily through the education of reason. However, this article looks to an early draft of the Social Contract known as the Geneva Manuscript to argue that Rousseau views most people as narrowly self-interested and therefore in need of a passional transformation in order to make decisions based on the common good. People need their feelings expanded in order to agree to a good social contract. In the early draft, Rousseau considers a rationalist account of legitimacy and motivation made by his contemporary Denis Diderot but ultimately critiques and rejects it. This article traces the critique from the manuscript through to the final edition, emending the Social Autonomy interpretation, and further highlighting the necessity of emotional, extra-rational education in Rousseau’s thought.