Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a French philosopher, writer, and composer of the 18th century. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution and the development of modern political, economic and educational thought.
Rousseau’s ideas developed while he was living in France as an exile from his native Geneva. Influenced by the recently published philosophies of Locke and Montesquieu, and by the success of Newtonian physics with its emphasis on systematic experimentation, he elaborated a theory on the development of human nature, based upon what he saw as his own personal experience.
In his 1754 work Emile: Or On Education, he argued that children are not born as tabulae rasae (blank slates) but instead are born with certain natural endowments which make it possible for them to have a better education than is usually given them. He believed that adults can be assisted in their development by exposure to stimuli that are pleasing to them, such as music and dancing. He also argued that children should not be forced to do things they hate doing; instead they should be allowed to follow their own interests freely so long as those interests don’t harm others or themselves.
In addition, Rousseau was a successful composer, who wrote seven operas as well as music in other forms, such as oratorios and cantatas. As a composer, his music was characterized by its simplicity and accessibility; he wrote in a variety of musical forms, including opera, symphony, chamber music, overtures and instrumental works.
