from Increase resolution on the concept of deliberation Rousseau disliked the commercial state of Athens and preferred the military state of Sparta.
Can you tell me the source of the story that Rousseau. doesn’t like commercial state Athens and likes military state Sparta?
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political ideals in The Social Contract
- In his Theory of the Social Contract, Rousseau describes a state that emphasizes the virtue of its citizens and the solidarity of the community. He idealized a state based on the “general will” that protects the freedom and equality of its citizens and pursues the interests of the whole. In this context, he believed that the wealth, luxury, and corruption brought about by commerce undermined civic virtue and weakened communal solidarity.
- In this respect, Sparta was considered a model of an ideal community in which citizens served the state through military training and maintained strict discipline and a simple lifestyle. In Sparta, the equality and virtue of the citizens were paramount, and the pursuit of commercial wealth and the presence of luxury goods were ruled out. This aligned with Rousseau’s ideals and led to his fondness for Sparta.
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criticism of civilization in “Essays on Learning and Art
- In his Treatise on Learning and the Arts, Rousseau criticized the development of commerce, the arts, and learning as being closely related to the moral degradation of society. Athens is portrayed as a commercial state where culture and the arts flourished, but Rousseau believed that such commercial wealth and luxury undermined civic virtue and public spirit. He argued that in a society such as the commercial state of Athens, the pursuit of individual self-interest takes precedence, neglecting the overall good of society and moral virtue.
- In contrast, Sparta was a society that deplored commerce and emphasized service to the state and communal solidarity, which Rousseau highly valued. In particular, Sparta’s rigorous educational system and military training were consistent with Rousseau’s ideals because they fostered a moral upbringing of its citizens and a spirit of service to the state.
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economic views in “Theory of Political Economy
- In his Treatise on Political Economy, Rousseau argued that commerce corrupts people’s morals and weakens the state. It was believed that in a commercial state, individual interests take precedence over the interests of society, and thus the spirit of unity and community as a whole is easily lost. Athens is portrayed as the epitome of such a state pursuing commercial interests.
- On the other hand, since Sparta was a state based on military power and civil solidarity with little commercial activity, it gave top priority to communal virtue and discipline, not economic prosperity. This economic outlook was praised as an ideal model for achieving the “civic virtue and communal solidarity” that Rousseau sought.
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other works and overall evaluation
- Rousseau’s fondness for Sparta and his criticism of Athens are consistent themes in many of his writings. His dislike of the individualism and luxury of Athens, a commercial state, and the inequality and corruption brought about by its commercial activities, flows throughout his political philosophy, as does his idealistic view of Sparta, a military state that emphasizes communal virtue and the equality of its citizens.
As mentioned above, Rousseau’s admiration for Sparta and his criticism of Athens are grounded in his major works, such as The Social Contract, The Theory of Learning and Art, and The Theory of Political Economy. In these works, Rousseau’s critique of the moral depravity and inequality brought about by commerce and his ideal of a Spartan-like state that emphasized communal virtue and cohesion.
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