Rousseau was eminent political philosopher of 18th century, he starts his famous social contract by the phrase “men are born free yet, he is in chains everywhere” with this statement Rousseau defines, the countless categories of chains in civil society. Which impede the freedom of man which Rousseau states that, is the birthright of human beings. Rousseau was interested in the liberty and equality of men. He says that, civil society does nothing to promote liberty and equality which is the birth right of each and every individual. Furthermore, he believed that government should not interfere in the business of civil society because such interference would be like, taking away the right of freedom from people. According to Rousseau, the legitimate authority or government is the one which come from the mutual consent of people. When People with mutual consent and social contract agreed for such government for their security and personal interests, is the only legitimate political authority.
Rousseau explains his social contract by, philosophical justification. According to him group of people which enter into the civil society by, their own will is known as, sovereign. The sovereign is the metaphor used for the unified will of the people. This principle is used for unified or general will of people because each individual in society has different needs, wants and opinion, however, sovereign refer to the collective will of people. Rousseau says that, legislature should formulate the law keeping in view the general will of people. And the government role is to only execute those law which are the general will of people. In this way people will have complete freedom because, law is formulated according to their will, they have entered in a social contract with government and with one another. If someone’s breaks the law he will have to face the punishment because he deviated from his own will and social contract.
