Does Rousseau support Absolute Monarchy?

[Go_Blue88]

I just had a test and was a little thrown off by one of the questions. One (of 500,000) parts of this question essentially asked me to explain something in Hobbes that Rousseau would deem false.

Since I didn't know the passage my teacher referred to, I re-defined the term "false," by claiming that Rousseau uses exaggerated rhetoric, there's no definitive political theories, and therefore, i'll take the term false to mean "disagrees with." But i obviously worded it better than that.

So in my answer I stated that Rousseau would disagree with Hobbes' theory of absolute monarchy because he believes that the collective interests of a population maximize liberty in a society (as opposed to one man's decision).

Ok so i wrote a bunch more on that idea. But would you guys say I'm flat out wrong, or is this a position that can be argued for? Ug, I'm pretty sure Rousseau approves of monarchical gov'ts in large populations. But maybe he'd still disagree with the principle of absolute monarchy? I mean i suppose he acknowledges the idealistic implications of a democracy, but Hobbes' version of absolute monarchy seems pretty idealistic as well.


Cooooom on reassurance.

[latefordinner]

sounds good to me - would have been easier to attack Hobbes' view of the "war of all against all" - but Rouseeau is pretty much explicitly countering Hobbes' view of "absolute monarchy" - though you are right, he does say that some societies are most suited towards a monarchic form of govt (but he has serious reservations about this concept like, "damn it's so hard to hard to find a good king") and in fact he specifically states multiple times that he thinks an aristocracy is much better than a monarchy

[Philo]

Rousseau's form of sovereignty from the Social Contract is compatible with absolute monarchy (most students are surprised to find out), but an absolute monarch is not taken to be the best way to institute Rousseau's vision. While an absolute monarch can realize the general will, the general will is best realized in a true democracy (and not a representative one, like the U.S.).

[Go_Blue88]

[ QUOTE ]
Rousseau's form of sovereignty from the Social Contract is compatible with absolute monarchy (most students are surprised to find out), but an absolute monarch is not taken to be the best way to institute Rousseau's vision. While an absolute monarch can realize the general will, the general will is best realized in a true democracy (and not a representative one, like the U.S.).

[/ QUOTE ]

how on earth can an absolute monarch realize the general will?

[latefordinner]

just needs to be a really really good monarch

[Philo]

[ QUOTE ]
just needs to be a really really good monarch

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Indeed!

[Go_Blue88]

well given your responses, it doesn't seem that i'm "flat out" wrong...just kind of wrong. hopefully my argument is good enough. i dunno, we'll see.