Jean-jacques Rousseau’s Theory Of Law And Civil State And Its Relevance To Nigerian Democracy

Jean-jacques Rousseau’s Theory Of Law And Civil State And Its Relevance To Nigerian Democracy

Abstract

Rousseau’s ideas of law and civil state are his sweats to ameliorate the government processes in France during the 18th century enlightenment period. The situation of France at this time wasn’t palatable as there were social shafts and inequalities which characterized the state of nature on ground. Among the three social classes that was in France at that time, it was the third estate comprising the third class citizens with lower land that paid the loftiest levies. The first and alternate estates conforming of the first and alternate class citizens were exempted from it. This boils down to the state of nature idea of the strong getting stronger and the weak getting weaker. This gave rise to all the immoralities that people executed on one another in this state. Although Rousseau formulated his proposition after reading and assaying those of Hobbes and Locke, the compass of his design wasn’t significantly different from theirs ’. He understood society to be an invention, and he tried to explain the nature of mortal beings by stripping them of all of the accidental rates brought about by socialization. therefore, understanding mortal nature amounts to understanding what humans are like in a pure state of nature, unlike Aristotle’s classical view which claimed that the state of civil society was the natural mortal state. likewise, Rousseau conceded that tone- preservation was one principle of provocation for mortal conduct, but not the only principle unlike Hobbes. He concludes that tone- preservation or generally tone- interest, is only one of the two principles of the mortal soul. The alternate principle is pity; it’s an ingrain repulsion to see his fellow suffer. Unlike other brutes Rousseau believes that mortal beings have reason, although similar isn’t yet developed in the state of nature. It’s this faculty that makes the long transition from the state of nature to the civil society possible. In the same tone, a proper operation of this Rousseau’s proposition of law and civil state can also serve as a abstract tool for

perfecting on Nigerian republic.

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the Study

The choice of this content was motivated by the way Nigerian system of government has been run since the return of popular rule in the country in 1999. Presently, Nigerian system of government lacks the true character which depicts what republic is each about. This of course isn’t different from the situation inpre-revolutionary France during the time of Rousseau that contributed to his idea of the state of nature. serve to note that during this time in France the state was busted due to mismanagement of the frugality. This profitable extremity was as a result of the inviting costs incurred by fighting two major wars – the seven times ’ war and the American Revolutionary war. There was also severe quantum of injustice climaxing in

social inequality in the duty system. Then the third estate with the lower land was made to pay the loftiest duty while the first and alternate estates that had further lands paid little or none at all. Because of this, there was “ an pertinacious demand ” fo r reform of these abuses of honor, for an indifferent means of taxation and for advanced government processes. In fact, it was Rousseau’s response in the face of these unattractive situations that’s believed to have inspired the 1789 French Revolution. For him, perpetual peace can only be achieved at the price of

revolution. Now tracing the political history of our country Nigeria since independence

in 1960 it’s clear that the first popular government steered in an independent Nigeria was cut short by a achievement in 1966, a counter achievement in 1967, civil war from 1967 to 1970, military rule from 1970 when the civil war ended until another achievement in 1975 and still another unprofitable bone in 1976.