Rousseau had many ideas about how society as a whole should function. His main ideas concern man demanding freedom. With this freedom, we theoretically cannot compare ourselves to each other, nor strive to be better than others. Its other main ideas include the general will and the idea of ​​collective sovereignty. These suggest that society and government should satisfy the general will and work together as a cohesive unit. Rousseau has several famous books, including The Social Contract. The book begins with the words: “Men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains. » By this he means that the civil society in which we live oppresses our right to freedom. Without our freedom we are not men and can never be truly happy. He suggests that the general will requires not only individual freedom and diversity but also the idea of ​​the well-being of the whole. Many people think that Rousseau is rather contradictory. Some, however, have attempted to find a middle ground between his conflicting ideas. However, both groups can agree on certain aspects of its philosophy, such as the idea that it is directly linked to sovereignty. However, this sovereignty does not depend on who has all the power, but rather on those in power who do things for the good of the people. This is why Rousseau believed in participation rather than representation. He believes that if we are represented, we will not necessarily be represented in the exact way we want. If we were to participate in government, we could all deliberate with each other and come to a better understanding of each other's ideas. Also in The Social Contract, Rousseau comments on how the grouping of people in a civil society.... ..middle of paper ......o be perfect our faults and inequalities emerge. This brings us to Rousseau's idea that it is impossible to achieve perfection in society, because the only way to be perfect is to be in our natural state. Rousseau believes that we cannot get caught up in trying to be perfect. Instead, He wants us to be kind to each other, ignore differences or imperfections, and do things solely for the benefit of others rather than Himself. We need to work as one cohesive unit so we can't do things strictly for ourselves, everything we do will help or harm everyone else. Works Cited “Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy”. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques []. Np, and Web. October 4, 2013. “Internet History Sourcebooks.” Internet History Sourcebooks. Np, and Web. October 4, 2013. “Themes, Arguments and Ideas.” SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. October 4. 2013.