Was Rousseau a Marxist before Marx?

Was Rousseau a Marxist before Marx?

Introduction

Rousseau and Marx will never be forgotten as their legacies carry on through their respective theories. Each of their theories are extensive however, for the purposes of this essay I will compare and contrast their theory regarding freedom and the relationship between the individual and society. Rousseau and Marx, it can argue were both, as individuals, dissatisfied with their societies. In the process of discussing both Rousseau's and Marx's positions regarding these areas of focus their answers to the following question will be evident and their reasoning explained. Is it possible for human's to create a society that would not cause so much suffering and, therefore maximize the happiness of all individuals in society? Or in other words, is the desire for freedom and pleasure of the individual irreconcilable with the needs and demands of society? Rousseau's response is no. Marx's answer was yes.

Discussion

Since it is necessary to discuss and define key concepts and terms in order to understand Rousseau's support for his answer I will give a synopsis of the book titled Civilization and It's Discontents. Rousseau begins this book by defining the three parts of the psychic apparatus: the id, ego, and superego. The id is the unconscious; it includes everything at birth but later separates off an external world from itself. This external world or conscious is the ego. With the development or separation of the id and ego comes the development of the pleasure principle and reality principle. The id wants instant satisfaction of primal desires and operates under the pleasure principle; it strives for pleasure and to avoid pain. It seeks to get pleasure in and keep pain out. The reality principle governs the ego. It aims to postpone gratification due to reality in order to satisfy the id long term. The ego is the mediator between the id and superego. It is always trying to reach a compromise and balance between the two. The superego or conscience works in direct opposition to the id. It controls an individual's sense of right and wrong as well as guilt. The superego acts as an authority and its purpose is to get the individual to behave in socially appropriate ways. Civilization and institutions within it serve the same purpose of the superego (Morrison, 2006).

According to Rousseau there are three sources of suffering. Suffering from the body, nature, and relationships aka civilization aka society. Rousseau believes that a majority of suffering comes from the third source. This is ironic because it means that individuals receive the most pain from the source they created themselves. Individuals serve and are dominated by the things they have established themselves. This was not the intent. According to Rousseau civilization was established out of love and necessity in order to make life easier and more enjoyable for the individual. Instead it causes the most pain. Rousseau argues that the pain originates from the fact that civilization thwarts the freedom of the individual to satisfy ...