Rousseau, democracy, and his ideological intentions: Conceptual arrangements as political devices

• Pedro Abellán Artacho ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Madrid, España

     
• Localización: Revista de estudios políticos, ISSN 0048-7694, Nº 186, 2019, págs. 45-71
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.18042/cepc/rep.186.02
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Rousseau, democracia y sus intenciones ideológicas: arreglos conceptuales como instrumentos políticos
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• Resumen
  • español

    Este artículo se propone analizar las inconsistencias de Jean-Jacques Rousseau en su uso de la palabra «democracia» en relación con las palabras «monarquía» y «república». Se argumentará que dichas inconsistencias no son el resultado de una mera falta de capacidad intelectual y tampoco de un cambio de creencias en lo fundamental, sino efecto de las intenciones políticas de Rousseau y de la creación de un arreglo conceptual para promoverlas. Una aproximación sistemática a sus principales textos permitirá mostrar cómo modificó Rousseau su taxonomía de los regímenes de gobierno instrumentalmente para desarrollar una ideología o lenguaje republicanos. Se trata de un arreglo conceptual pensado para jugar un papel clave en la institución de la soberanía popular como única forma legítima del Estado, y que incluye las intuiciones prudenciales de Rousseau acerca de la libertad política y su preservación. En el artículo se diferencian las diversas y contradictorias intenciones de Rousseau y se señalan los principales factores contextuales que pudieron haberle influido en la adopción de dicha estrategia retórica.

  • English

    This article brings to the fore and examines Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s inconsistencies when using the word ‘democracy’ in relation to ‘monarchy’ and ‘republic’. It argues that these are not the result of a mere lack of ability, or a change of beliefs in the fundamental, but of his political intentions and of his creation of a conceptual arrangement that best promotes those. A systematic approach to his main writings will show evidence indicating that Rousseau instrumentally modified his taxonomy of regimes in order to develop a republican language or ideology. This conceptual arrangement was meant to play a key role in the institution of popular sovereignty as the only legitimate form of state, and included Rousseau’s prudential intuitions about political freedom and its preservation. The article also differentiates the contradictory intentions at work behind Rousseau’s words, and outlines the main contextual factors that may have influenced his resorting to this rhetorical strategy.

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