Political Freedom vs. Art: The Core Conflict in Rousseau's Social Theory

Authors : Mete Han Arıtürk

Pages : 358-373

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Publication Date : 2025-10-22

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article examines the complex and dialectical relationship between art, freedom, and politics within Jean-Jacques Rousseau\\\'s philosophical system. In his early texts, such as the Discourse on the Sciences and Arts, Rousseau harshly criticizes the arts as an element that corrupts social morality, fosters luxury and inequality, and destroys authentic freedom. He argues that art functions as garlands of flowers over the iron chains, causing individuals to love their slavery. However, Rousseau also suggests that in already corrupt societies, art can assume the role of a ‘moral veneer’ that prevents greater evils. More significantly, he presents a constructive vision where, under the right social conditions, public festivities or pedagogical methods can contribute to the construction of freedom by reinforcing civic virtue and collective identity. Ultimately, for Rousseau, the value of art is measured not by its aesthetic qualities, but by its political and moral effects on individual and social freedom. Depending on its political context, art possesses a dual character, appearing as both a threat to freedom and a potential means for its establishment.
Keywords : Rousseau, Özgürlük, Sanat, Politika, Toplum

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