Final answer:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that in the state of nature, humans were inherently good, living solitary lives with basic needs and compassion for others. He theorized that the introduction of property and society led to the loss of natural equality and liberty, with government based on the general will restoring some freedoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau's View on the State of Nature
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a well-known philosopher, held a distinct perspective regarding the state of nature, which differs from his contemporaries like Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Rousseau envisioned the state of nature as a peaceful and moral period before the creation of property and society. He postulated that humans in this state were innately good and lived solitary, simple lives, mainly concerned with basic survival needs and possessing compassion for others. However, with the advent of property, society, and government, natural equality and liberty were lost, leading to conflicts and inequalities. Rousseau's philosophy suggests that government should be formed based on the general will of the people, aiming to restore the freedom and equality lost in the natural state while balancing the individual needs with the common good.
Rousseau's belief is that in the state of nature, man "was", in essence, free from the vices developed in structured societies. However, the development of civilization brought about comparisons, jealousy, and the concept of private property, which led to the eventual degradation of the human condition. According to Rousseau, the social contract was a means of restoring some semblance of this lost liberty by unifying individuals under a common interest or will. This process of forming a civil government would prevent the descent into chaos and misery that unchecked self-interest could create.