Rousseau says at the outset that man's first law is to look out for his own conservation, his first cares are those he owes himself, and as soon as he reaches the age of reason, being sole judge of the means of his conservation, he becomes his own master.
How like Hobbes he sounds.
But there are many differences.
For one, Hobbes everywhere repeats the evils of anarchy are worse than the worst despotism.
Rousseau stoutly maintains tyranny can indeed be worse than anarchy.
He reminds us the slave is governed and lives or dies for his owner's good.
But legitimate government is erected by a people for their good.
Not an easy distinction for either Rousseau or Hobbes to maintain given, as they both say, people accept imposed rule so as not to be killed.
And that is exactly Seneca's - and Rousseau's, and Hobbes's - understanding of how people become or remain slaves.
For another, Rousseau denies the state of nature is a state of war, pitting each and every against each and every man - basing this on the unfortunate and false claim that war is a relation only among states, because "among things of diverse natures there can be no true relation."
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