A Discourse on Inequality

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Rousseau critically examines the impact of civilization on human happiness and freedom, arguing that societal advancements create artificial inequalities in wealth, power, and privilege. He posits that primitive humans enjoyed a natural equality, but as societies evolved, the strongest and most intelligent individuals gained undue advantages. His discourse challenges the effectiveness of constitutions intended to promote justice, asserting they often reinforce existing disparities. This work serves as a powerful critique of the social conditions of the eighteenth century and remains a pivotal political treatise.