ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a really smart guy who lived a long time ago. He was born in a place called Geneva, which is in Europe, many many years ago.

Rousseau was a philosopher, which means he thought a lot about life and the world around us. He had many ideas that helped people understand the world and how we should live in it.

One of Rousseau's most important ideas was that people are naturally good, but society and its rules can make them bad. He believed that people are born with certain natural rights, like the right to live free and have their own thoughts and opinions.

Rousseau also thought a lot about the government and how it should be run. He believed that the best form of government was one where everyone had a say in what happened, not just a small group of powerful people. This idea is called democracy.

Overall, Rousseau was a really important person who helped shape the way we think about society, government, and human nature. He's still remembered and celebrated for his ideas today, even though he lived so long ago.