Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . laring that it was this band of writers, organizedby a harassed man of letters, and not the nobles swarmingaround Louis XV, nor the churchmen singing masses, whofirst grasped the great principle of modern society, thehonour that is owed to productive industry. They were vehe-ment for the glories of peace and passionate against the brazenglories of war. Next to Voltaire, the writer who did most to cultivate dis-content with existing conditions was Jean Jacq
Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . laring that it was this band of writers, organizedby a harassed man of letters, and not the nobles swarmingaround Louis XV, nor the churchmen singing masses, whofirst grasped the great principle of modern society, thehonour that is owed to productive industry. They were vehe-ment for the glories of peace and passionate against the brazenglories of war. Next to Voltaire, the writer who did most to cultivate dis-content with existing conditions was Jean Jacques Rousseau^ 1 Extracts from his writings are to be found in the Readings in ModemEuropean Hisioiy, Vol. I, pp. 187 ff. Rousseauattacks civili-zation 470 Medieval and Modern Times (1712-1778). Unlike Voltaire and Diderot, Rousseau believedthat people thought too much, not too little; that we shouldtrust to our hearts rather than to our heads, and may safelyrely upon our natural feelings and sentiments to guide us. Hedeclared that Europe was overcivilized, and summoned mento return to nature and simplicity. His first work was a prize. Fig. 129. Jeax Jacques Rousseau The SocialContract essay written in 1750, in which he sought to prove that the de-velopment of the arts and sciences had demoralized mankind,inasmuch as they had produced luxury, insincerity, and arro-gance. He extoUed the rude vigor of Sparta and denouncedthe refined and degenerate life of the Athenians. Rousseaus plea for the simple life went to the heart of manya person who was weary of artificiahty. Others were attractedby his firm belief in the natural equality of mankind and theright of every man to have a voice in the government In his Modem Science and the Spirit of Reform 471 celebrated little treatise, The Social Contract, he takes up thequestion-, By what right does one man rule over others ? Thebook opens with the words: Man is born free and yet is noweverywhere in chains. One man believes himself the ma
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