Hannah Arendt´s Appropriation of Rousseau

Abstract

We are used to see Rousseau as the first modern thinker of freedom.However, Arendt's version of Rousseau, that we will try to trace here, is far fromthis image. Let's say that, if Arendt could agree that Rousseau conceived themodern idea of freedom, this does not make him a thinker of political freedom.Rousseau if for Arendt, the political thinker that contributed the most to themodern theory of sovereignty, that "leads to a denial of human freedom." ButArendt excuses us from a scholarly reading of Rousseau's theory to show us theconsequences that some readings of his ideas had on the political experiences ofmodernity. Through this review we can trace how Arendt’s view of Rousseaudefines its own concept of politics in modernity.