Rousseau & the Concept of Happiness

Although Rousseau's thought has had a vast influence on political ideas and diverse political movements, the seeming absence of a coherent and consistent philosophy has puzzled his interpreters. Some have tried to get at the bottom of apparent inconsistencies in their search for the unity underlying his thought. This article is a sympathetic and plausible interpretation of Rousseau's understanding of happiness as the unifying basis of his moral and political philosophy, contrasting his theory with other kinds of moral and political thought. Happiness for Rousseau is, not a utopian dream, but a condition attainable by different kinds of people in a wide variety of circumstances.