Tutor Marked Assessment 5 - Essay Example

The Social Contract contains powerful arguments against authoritarian monarchy and in favour of liberal political regimes and philosophy. Rousseau s social and political concepts from the Social Contract had a limited influence upon the American War of Independence, although the ideas of Thomas Paine and John Locke had a greater impact on the American leadership. The American War of Independence was largely fought to end British control than to introduce radical or revolutionary social and political changes, it was a conservative change of power caused by disputes over taxation.

The concepts of the Social Contract had the greatest influence on revolutionary France, especially ideas on equality and the general will. Revolutionary France formally abolished most of the inequalities that had existed during the Ancien Regime, its leaders seemingly well versed in the social theories of the Social Contract. Revolutionary France abolished the monarchy and the aristocracy thus making all French men legally equals if not economically so. Rousseau did not argue that women should have the same legal rights and social or economic equality as men.

The Social Contract did not seek to end slavery, although the arguments put forward against absolutist monarchy could also be used in favour of abolishing slavery. The concept of equality was easily used to support liberal or even socialist policies. The French Revolution would take the means to achieve equality to extremes. Rousseau may have detested the Ancien Regime yet it is debatable if he would of supported all the policies adopted as part of the French Revolution, particularly during the reign of terror.

Rousseau though realised that often to achieve republican regimes that sacrifices needed to be made, and that monarchies or authoritarian regimes would have to be violently overthrown if they did not vow to the general will of their respective subjects. Rousseau