Making Citizens: Rousseau's Political Theory of Culture / Edition 1

by Zev M. Trachtenberg

Overview

By analysing Rousseau's conception of the general will, Zev Trachtenberg characterises the attitude of civic virtue Rousseau believes individuals must have to cooperate successfully in society. Rousseau holds that culture affects political life by either fostering or discouraging civic virtue. However, while the cultural institutions Rousseau endorses would motivate citizens to obey the law, they would not prepare citizens to help frame it. Rousseau's view of culture thus works against his account of legitimacy, and Trachtenberg concludes that Rousseau's political theory as a whole is inconsistent.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415040631
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/01/1993
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Zev M. Trachtenberg

Table of Contents

Introduction—Political success and the general Will; The fundamental problem in politics; The general will; The commonality of the general will 1 An analysis of political failure 3 Society as it is—and as it could be 5 Culture and political success 6 Culture and legitimacy.