Analysis Of Modern Western Civilization By Schmitt And Rousseau

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Throughout this essay, I will discuss the main ideas of Schmitt and Rousseau to conclude which writer presents a better representation of Modern Western Civilization. I will provide a detailed analysis of each text to come to this conclusion while discussing the positives and negatives of each writer. After further analysis of each text, we will come to a detailed conclusion about which writer represents and contributes more to Modern Western Civilization and why. Rousseau starts his work with the famous phrase “man was/is born free, and nevertheless everywhere he is in chains”. Although you free at birth with each new experience man goes through, he becomes more “chained” down in society. Many things can chain a man down, such as government, nature, wealth, social class and status. Rousseau insists that modern states prevent the physical freedom that becomes ours at the time of birth, and also does nothing to protect our civil freedom. Rousseau then discusses legitimate political authority, which in short is the idea that it is not justifiable for one person to...

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