Rousseau's Social Contract argued that each person was born with rights, and they would come together in forming a government that would then protect those rights. Under the social contract, the government was required to act for the general will, which represented the interests of everyone rather than a few factions.Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. 1901. "The Social Contract ." pp. 1–126 in Ideal Empires and Republics, edited by Charles M. Andrews. Washington: M. Walter Dunne. p. 92 –94. Available as etext via Online Library of Liberty. Drawing from the idea of a general will, Robespierre felt that the French Revolution could result in a Republic built for the general will but only once those who fought against this ideal were expelled.Halsall, Paul. [1997] 2020. "Maximilien Robespierre: Justification of the Use of Terror ." Internet Modern History Sourcebook. US: Fordham University, Retrieved 25 June 2020. Those who resisted the government were deemed "tyrants" fighting against the virtue and honor of the general will. The leaders felt that their ideal version of government was threatened from the inside and outside of France, and terror was the only way to preserve the dignity of the Republic created from French Revolution.
Rousseau's Social Contract argued that each person was born with rights, and they would come together in forming a government that would then protect those rights. Under the social contract, the government was required to act for the general will, which represented the interests of everyone rather than a few factions.Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. 1901. "The Social Contract ." pp. 1–126 in Ideal Empires and Republics, edited by Charles M. Andrews. Washington: M. Walter Dunne. p. 92 –94. Available as etext via Online Library of Liberty. Drawing from the idea of a general will, Robespierre felt that the French Revolution could result in a Republic built for the general will but only once those who fought against this ideal were expelled.Halsall, Paul. [1997] 2020. "Maximilien Robespierre: Justification of the Use of Terror ." Internet Modern History Sourcebook. US: Fordham University, Retrieved 25 June 2020. Those who resisted the government were deemed "tyrants" fighting against the virtue and honor of the general will. The leaders felt that their ideal version of government was threatened from the inside and outside of France, and terror was the only way to preserve the dignity of the Republic created from French Revolution.