A Brief Review of Rousseau's Social Contract

A Brief Review of Rousseau's Social Contract

Before attempting to answer the question of "what is Democracy?" it is important to examine three perspectives. 1. What is the technical definition of Democracy? 2. What does this author think of when the term comes to mind? 4. What does Rousseau think?
First, a technical definition. According to The American Heritage Dictionary, Democracy is defined as:

1. Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives. 2. A political unit that has such a government. 3. Majority rule. 4. The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.

Still, a more in depth definition is given by the Meriam-Webster Dictionary:

1. A government by the people; esp: rule of the majority 2. A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free ele...