Discussion On Rousseau’s Social Contract Theory And Chinese Market Economy Contract Ethics Construction

In the perspective of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (28June1712–2July1778)，in the primitive society before social contracts are established, man are free andequal and rarely connected. Later man set up close and fixed connections because ofthe appearance of private ownership. Although social contracts are established,inequality between man is sharpened. However, time is unidimensional and man cannot retrospect to primitive society. So men build up a government and make effortstoward equality. The general will is focused on public interests while will of all isfocused on individual interests. Will of all is the sum of individual wills. Man right isthe application of the general will. It is featured by inseparableness, unalienablenessand sacrosanctity. On the other hand, government is subordinate to man right. It isbetween the citizen and the sovereign and can help the two sides suit each other. Thegovernment is set up to implement laws and to sustain the freedom of society andpolitics. But it is also constituted of particular interests. This is why in hisgovernment theory Rousseau emphasizes the danger of usurping sovereignty andissues a method to prevent the degeneration of the government.In a long tradition of civilization in China, there are the contract spirit. But itdid not develop political construction theory. China’s contract spirit, is an abstractethical spirit of "good faith". Guarantee contract is only as the "integrity"materialized credentials. Today in the construction of China’s market economy, wemust carry forward the spirit of integrity, ethical construction contract. Thepromotion of the contract spirit will enhance people’s awareness of faircompetitiveness, help build a better economic order, and thus driving forward theeconomic development and laying a solid foundation for the realisation of the greatrejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The promotion of the contract spirit. will helppeople form the belief in freedom and fairness. The promotion of the contract spiritwill facilitate establishing the environment of good credit and improving people’smoral sense of good faith and honest and encourage them participate in economicactivities. The promotion of the contract spirit will lead to a win-win result of bothparties.