Rousseau feels that in order to be free, you must first agree to it. He relies on the society to help itself and do what ever is best for self preservation. “Duty and interest therefore equally oblige the two contracting parties to give each other help.” (Ch.5) Rousseau realizes that individuals may have interests contrary to society as a whole. “In fact, each individual, as a man, may have a particular will contrary or dissimilar to the general will which he has as a citizen.” (Ch.5) However, he notes: “in order then that the social compact may not be an empty formula,

The society in Anthem has a higher state or a World Council of Scholars that makes all decisions for the society. Under the social contract the society is run by itself. Rousseau would allow a council that only is voluntarily accepted by the individuals, not one that is imposed. “The problem is to find a form of association which will defend and protect with the whole common force the person and goods of each associate, and in which each, while uniting himself with all, may still obey himself alone and remain as free as before.” (Ch.4)

Anthem can only be viewed as a refutation of “The Social Contract” if Rousseau is misunderstood to require a society that is not imposed by consent of each person. Rand did not denounce absolutely any kind of authority, but only authority that governs without consideration of individual thought.

Although Rand’s beginning society was completely different than Rousseau’s, the member of the society in his natural state is living almost exactly Rousseau’s ideal life. After living in the natural state the main character meets up with his love and discovers a home. He reads books in his home that introduce the word “I” to him which he has never heard or used before. He branches off of this word by into carving the word “ego” onto his house. He is evol

Some topics in this essay:
Ch4 Anthem, Ch5 Rousseau, Ayn Rand’s, Council Scholars, Rousseau Rand, Contract” Rousseau, Transgression Preference, chosen friends, Jean Rousseau’s, Social Contract”, , sons chosen friends, natural living, rousseau’s society, rules laws, rand rejecting, society imposed, word “ego”, equality 7-2521, “the social contract”, international 4-8818, sons chosen,