YaleCourses

20. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau's Social Contract, I-II

YaleCourses

Show Notes

Introduction to Political Philosophy (PLSC 114)Uploaded 21-09-08The concept of "general will" is considered Rousseau's most important contribution to political science. It is presented as the answer to the gravest problems of civilization, namely, the problems of inequality, amour-propre, and general discontent. The social contract is the foundation of the general will and the answer to the problem of natural freedom, because nature itself provides no guidelines for determining who should rule. The lecture ends with Rousseau's legacy and the influence he exercised on later nineteenth-century writers and philosophers.00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction: Social Contract and the General Will25:04 - Chapter 2. Applications of the General Will30:54 - Chapter 3. The Legacies of RousseauComplete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses This course was recorded in Fall 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from YaleCourses

Oct 25, 2026

The Civil War and Reconstruction (HIST 119)Uploaded 21-11-08Professor Blight begins this lecture in Washington, where the passage of the first Reconstruction Act by Congressional Republicans radically altered the direction of Reconstruction. The Act invalidated the reconstituted Southern legislatures, establishing five military districts in the South and insisting upon black suffrage as a condition to readmission. The eventful year 1868 saw the impeachment of one president (Andrew Johnson) and the election of another (Ulysses S. Grant). Meanwhile, southern African Americans struggle to reap the promises of freedom in the face of economic disempowerment and a committed campaign of white supremacist violence.00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction04:20 - Chapter 2. Implications of the Four Reconstruction Acts10:49 - Chapter 3. The Impeachment Process for Andrew Johnson27:50 - Chapter 4. The Election of Grant in 1868 and the Advent of the Ku Klux Klan47:40 - Chapter 5. The Second Reconstruction's Impact on Freed Slaves and ConclusionComplete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/coursesThis course was recorded in Spring 2008. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 25, 2026

The American Novel Since 1945 (ENGL 291)Uploaded 21-11-08Professor Amy Hungerford's first lecture on Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood addresses questions of faith and interpretation. She uses excerpts from O'Connor's copious correspondence to introduce the critical framework of O'Connor's Catholicism, but invites us to look beyond the question of redemption. What do characters see in this text, and what are they blind to? What do we see as readers, and how does methodology shape this vision?00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction: The Catholicism of Flannery O'Connor12:27 - Chapter 2. The Search for Home: Haze's Essex24:53 - Chapter 3. The Depiction of Nothingness: The Landscapes of O'Connor33:42 - Chapter 4. The Symbolism of Senses: Hazel Motes's Eyes and Ears38:43 - Chapter 5. Fragmented Bodies: What We Miss When We Limit Our Interpretative LensComplete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/coursesThis course was recorded in Spring 2008. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 25, 2026

Discover how the four Ps of connected leadership scale from self and team to the wider systems that shape our lives. This introduction defines what a system is, why systems thinking matters, and how it equips you to tackle problems too complex for simple linear fixes.Uploaded 09-06-26Key topics:- Applying the four Ps at the system level- Defining a system as interacting elements with a shared purpose- Examples of community, industry, explicit, and implicit systems- Why systems thinking matters for tackling big challenges- Humility, leverage, and the power of small changes over time📚 About the Course:This course is designed to maximize your ability to create change at the individual, team and system levels. Through study, reflection, and deploying practical tools, you will establish a firm connection between your clearly articulated Purpose, effective Priorities, visualized Potential for success, and pathway to maximized Progress. But, what does that mean in practice?When you take this course, you will:Improve your ability to get the most out of life: Learn a simple practice to reflect on your purpose, clarify priorities, visualize your potential, and maximize your effectiveness at progressing towards your goals.Strengthen your leadership toolkit: Tap into your unique leadership style and strengths and join or create a community of others to maximize your potential as a team.Create change through systems thinking: Become a more effective agent of positive change and appreciate the power and complexity of system thinking.Course Takeaways:Improve your ability to get the most out of lifeStrengthen your leadership toolkitPractice and apply systems thinking to plan for change📺 Watch the full playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9mgdi4rNezZEnhZC8dS3AvTnzOiB0Ij🎓 Enroll on Coursera for assessments and a certificate: https://www.coursera.org/learn/connected-leadership🌐 Explore more learning opportunities on Yale Online: https://online.yale.edu/courses/connected-leadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 24, 2026

Take the four Ps from the self level and apply them at the team level to build a complete connected strategy. This lesson covers how to identify team rocks, scope your group's potential, and use the strategy pyramid to spot gaps and overlaps in responsibility.Uploaded 09-06-26Key topics:- Translating self rocks into at-work and team priorities- Considering your boss's or organization's rocks- Defining team potential and progress- Filling in the strategy pyramid from the outside in- Using one page to surface dysfunction and duplication- Shared spreadsheets and templates for team tracking📚 About the Course:This course is designed to maximize your ability to create change at the individual, team and system levels. Through study, reflection, and deploying practical tools, you will establish a firm connection between your clearly articulated Purpose, effective Priorities, visualized Potential for success, and pathway to maximized Progress. But, what does that mean in practice?When you take this course, you will:Improve your ability to get the most out of life: Learn a simple practice to reflect on your purpose, clarify priorities, visualize your potential, and maximize your effectiveness at progressing towards your goals.Strengthen your leadership toolkit: Tap into your unique leadership style and strengths and join or create a community of others to maximize your potential as a team.Create change through systems thinking: Become a more effective agent of positive change and appreciate the power and complexity of system thinking.Course Takeaways:Improve your ability to get the most out of lifeStrengthen your leadership toolkitPractice and apply systems thinking to plan for change📺 Watch the full playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9mgdi4rNezZEnhZC8dS3AvTnzOiB0Ij🎓 Enroll on Coursera for assessments and a certificate: https://www.coursera.org/learn/connected-leadership🌐 Explore more learning opportunities on Yale Online: https://online.yale.edu/courses/connected-leadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 24, 2026

Introduction to Political Philosophy (PLSC 114)Uploaded 20-09-08Professor Smith discusses the nature and scope of "political philosophy." The oldest of the social sciences, the study of political philosophy must begin with the works of Plato and Aristotle, and examine in depth the fundamental concepts and categories of the study of politics. The questions "which regimes are best?" and "what constitutes good citizenship?" are posed and discussed in the context of Plato's Apology.00:00 - Chapter 1. What Is Political Philosophy?12:16 - Chapter 2. What Is a Regime?22:19 - Chapter 3. Who Is a Statesman? What Is a Statesman?27:22 - Chapter 4. What Is the Best Regime?Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses This course was recorded in Fall 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See all episodes →