Roseau's Philosophy and The French Revolution

             This is from Of The Social Contract by Roseau Chapter 7 Of The Sovereign, "His absolute and naturally independent existence can make him see what he owes to the common cause a gratuitous contribution, the loss of which will be less harmful to others of it is burdensome to himself.  And viewing the corperate person which constitutes the State as a fictive being, since it is not a man, he would enjoy the duties of a subject: an injustice that if it persisted would cause the ruin of the body politic.
       Thus, in order that the social pact should not be a vain formula, it tacitly incorporates a commitment that alone can give force to rest: namely, that whosoever refuses to obey the general will shall be constrained by the entire body.  This means nothing more than he shall be forced to be free.  For such is the condition that, by giving each Citizen to the Fatherland, guarantees him against all personal dependence."
              What Roseau is saying here is that in order to be free you must submit yourself to the general will.  This is collectivist philosophy that does not work because in order for a society to prosper individual freedom must be valued.  It is important to note that Roseau had an impact an Carl Marx and Friedrick Engels.  The idea that social inequality justify's a collectivist system does not hold water when one analyses the benefits that small business ownership brings to society.  Roseau is clever at changing the meaning of words.  Roseau had a major influence on the French Revolution which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.  However, the monarch was unable to hold on to power, and a republic was temporarily installed.  The church's land was taken away.  Fifteen percent of the land in France was owned by the church.  King Louis the sixteenth was executed.  In the following years The Committee of Public Safety under the leadership of Robespierre had a number of people executed.  This became known as The Reign of Terror.  Soon after he was executed as members of The Committee of Public Safety feared for their lives.
            Then Napoleon Bonaparte took over France as emperor.  He invaded many European countries, and their colonies in the New World seized the opportunity to declare their independence.  He spread the ideas of the enlightenment.  For example, he used a system of meritocracy and created thousands of noblemen on the basis of merit.  Also, he applied meritocracy to all of his appointment decision.  His ideas appealed greatly to the peasants in the countries he invaded.  Napoleon sold Louisiana to America in 1804.  This is commonly known as The Louisiana Purchase.  After he unsuccessfully invaded Russia, Prussia took advantage of the opportunity to topple his regime.  He was exiled to an island east of Italy.  He soon reclaimed power in Paris, and moved his army to Waterloo, Netherlands where his army was promptly defeated.  He was exiled to an island of the west coast of Africa.  The old monarchy in France was put back in place.
            After this war was over a conference was held by the European oligarch to discuss ways to keep the monarch in power.  A period of religious, cultural, and political conservatism ensued from 1815 to 1860.  This meant that the conservatives at the time believed that organized religion was necessary to maintain the social order.  Also, the conservatives that a monarchy was needed to keep citizens in line.