Jean-Jacques Rousseau on Child and Discipline

According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s ‘naturalist’ philosophy, disciplining a child means punishing him harshly. Thus, Rousseau’s philosophy is against social discipline or discipline based on social norms. Rousseau advises the child to remain self-experienced and independent. He considers it important to provide complete freedom to the child and to live with nature his development. He believes in self-discipline approach. Disciplining a child and trying to control him can be a barrier to his development. Contrary to this, giving the child freedom to learn through his own efforts motivates him for self-discipline. The meaning of social life and social discipline is to fasten the child and man in chains. Social life corrupts the child’s brain and binds him to the shackles of rules. Rousseau has advocated disciplining the child by natural rules. Nature teaches both child and man when it the time comes and makes him know both right and wrong, good and bad in his surroundings.