Quote of the day by Jean-Jacques Rousseau: ‘Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains’
Today’s quote of the day is the famous opening line of The Social Contract, written in 1762 by the French-Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His text questions the legitimacy of political authority, breaking down the relationship between an individual and the state.
The quote is part of the first paragraph of Rousseau’s work, which goes as follows: “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they. How did this change come about? I do not know. What can make it legitimate? That question I think I can answer.”
Rousseau argues that true political authority comes from a social contract willingly accepted by the people, stressing ideas such as popular sovereignty and the general will. His work played a major role in shaping Enlightenment thought and modern political theory by questioning existing power structures and insisting that governments should represent the collective will of the people.
What does the quote mean?
When Rousseau says we are “born free,” he means that in our natural state, before society, humans have freedom by default. But the phrase “everywhere he is in chains” shows his concern that once we live together in societies with rules and leaders, our freedom gets limited, sometimes unfairly.
These “chains” are not always visible like physical shackles; they can be laws we didn’t choose, systems that benefit only a few, or social pressures that push us to conform. Rousseau thought that many structures meant to protect us can instead restrict us if they don’t represent everyone’s interest.
Why is it relevant today?
Even now, this quote rings true because people still struggle with freedom in modern life. We live with rules, systems and expectations that shape how we work, think and live. From economic pressures to social norms and political systems, many forces can make us feel “in chains.”
Rousseau’s idea encourages us to ask whether the systems around us truly reflect our collective will and whether we help shape the rules that govern our lives. It reminds us that freedom isn’t just the absence of force – it’s about meaningful choice and participation in the world around us.
