Three "discourses" besides "social contract" among Rousseau's works
represent the evolution of his idea on "civil society".
In the first "discourse" he condemns and reproaches the civilization and
civil sosiety in which the ownership appears, and equality and justice
disappears. Following the first "discourse", in the next two "discourses" he tries
to legitimatize "civil society" under some particular conditions and upon
"sosial contract". Unlike Locke, he does not consider civil society based on an
unwritten contract which is aaccepted among the whole society, and contrary
to Hobbes he does not approve the supremacy of state and pover over the
contract.
Rousseau claims that civil society may be established on "Conscience",
"Social contract", and "general will", although it is necessary for people to the
be morally devoted to the "contract" and the "unity" which is its product and
on which the society is based. Considering this, Rousseau discusses the
necessity of religion to protect the unity of society and the necessity of its
legal support. He introduces this concept as "civil religion".
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