Enlightenment of individualism was emphasized in the 17th and 18th centuries. Several philosophers such as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Denis Diderot spent several years of their lives trying to bring individualism back into their community.
To be enlightened, means to be educated of a subject. When enlightenment took place in the early 18th century ideas of individualism and humanism were the basis of change. During 17th century and years prior men were not considered as equals. One man could consider himself the master of another due to the feudalism structure set in place. Over the years that enlightenment took place equality was restored among men with the use of “The Social Contract”, by Jean Jacques Rousseau, and the “Encyclopedie”,…show more content… He was born in 1712 and died in 1778 at the age of sixty six. Throughout his life Rousseau wrote several operas and “The Social Contract”. He believed that people have lost sight of equality among men and each others morals. When he wrote “ A Discourse on the Arts and Sciences”, he worked to explain how the expansion of science and art has corrupted virtue and morality within the community. Keeping these values in mind he composed “Discourse on The Origin and Foundations of Inequality” which emphasized the corruption of everyday life on men. When his works were published in 1754 Rousseau was acquainted with Denis Diderot and his work on the “Encyclopedie”. After working with Diderot, Jean wrote “The Social Contract”. The contract states that men are not free by choice, they are ruled by another because they are of a lower class. The Social Contract also states, “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains”. Rousseau wrote this contract to make people of his time aware of a growing issue. Throughout the rest of his life Rousseau published several operas with the same story line. All of his later work continued through the enlightenment