Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born on 28 June 1712 in the Republic of Geneva, a Protestant city-state. His family had a history of involvement in the watchmaking trade, and Rousseau's father, Isaac, was well-educated and a lover of music. Rousseau's mother, Suzanne, died shortly after his birth, leaving him and his older brother François to be raised by their father and an aunt. The family faced financial difficulties, leading to a move to a less affluent neighborhood. Rousseau's early exposure to literature, particularly through his father's reading sessions, fostered a love for reading and shaped his views on society and politics.At the age of 15, Rousseau ran away from Geneva and found refuge with a Catholic priest, Françoise-Louise de Warens, who became a significant influence in his life. Their relationship evolved into a romantic one, and she supported him during his formative years. Rousseau worked various jobs, including as a tutor, and began to engage with philosophical ideas, particularly those of the Enlightenment. He moved to Paris in 1742, where he sought to establish himself as a composer and philosopher.Rousseau gained recognition for his writings, particularly his 1750 essay, Discourse on the Arts and Sciences, which argued that the advancement of the arts and sciences had led to moral decay. This work won him a prize from the Académie de Dijon and marked the beginning of his influence on political and social thought. His subsequent works, including the Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men and The Social Contract, further developed his ideas on human nature, society, and governance.Rousseau's philosophy emphasized the importance of the general will and the idea that legitimate political authority arises from a social contract among free individuals. He argued that humans are inherently good but are corrupted by society and the inequalities it creates. His views on education, articulated in Émile, or On Education, advocated for a child-centered approach that emphasized natural development and moral education.Throughout his life, Rousseau faced significant opposition and controversy. His works were banned in various places, and he was often at odds with other Enlightenment thinkers, including Voltaire and Diderot. After the publication of Émile and The Social Contract in 1762, Rousseau fled to Switzerland to escape persecution. He later sought refuge in the Principality of Neuchâtel, where he continued to write and engage with his ideas.Rousseau's later years were marked by increasing paranoia and isolation. He married Thérèse Levasseur in a civil ceremony and continued to write, producing works such as the Confessions, which is considered one of the first modern autobiographies. He died on 2 July 1778, and his remains were later moved to the Panthéon in Paris. Rousseau's ideas significantly influenced the French Revolution and modern political thought, and he is regarded as a key figure in the development of Romanticism and educational theory.