The Illusion of Freedom - Rousseau and Marx

The Illusion of Freedom - Rousseau and Marx Book Description Is capitalism the last stop of individual freedom? Liberal theorists say: "The free market economy may not be able to provide equality, fraternity and justice, but at least it guarantees freedom." If we think that freedom cannot be reduced to the freedom of consumers to choose brands or to the equal legal rights of abstract citizens, we still have a lot to learn from the alternative understandings of freedom of Rousseau and Marx, the first critics of liberalism. Most of us either define freedom as rulelessness and think that absolute freedom cannot exist in any society, or we think that freedom cannot exist in any society. We believe that reducing ourselves to freedom in the "private sphere" and feeling free is enough to be free. What if, as Rousseau claimed, we mistake the chains on our feet for anklets and decorate them with flowers? The first step to liberation is understanding why we are not free right now. Explaining the "illusion of freedom" we fall into in modern society, Rousseau and Marx put forward two different theses regarding the relationship of freedom with needs. According to Rousseau, as civilization increases desires and addictions, societies degenerate and people lose their freedom without realizing it. The condition of freedom is to get rid of "artificial desires" and establish a balance between abilities and needs. However, according to Marx, liberation is only possible by increasing and humanizing needs. The struggle to get rid of "commodity fetishism", which reduces all our needs to the need for money, paves the way for overcoming alienation. This book asks, "Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going? How can we be free?" It invites everyone who pursues their questions to an intellectual journey. Thin Cover: Number of Pages: 168Print Year: 2016e-Book: Number of Pages: 144Print Year: 2006Language: TurkishPublisher: Yordam Kitap