1st Edition

Making Citizens Rousseau's Political Theory of Culture

By Zev M. Trachtenberg Copyright 1993
    320 Pages
    by Routledge

    320 Pages
    by Routledge

    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.

    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.

    Biography

    Zev M. Trachtenberg