Abstract

This essay aim to highlight some tensions existing in Rousseau's work that forwards a reading of his work from the point of view of the notion of a reluctant Enlightenment. The avail of this notion seems relevant to the extent that some principles guiding the Rousseau’s work are constantly confronted by the difficulties presented by History. Thus, Rousseau must manage deal with tensions which emerges from inside of his thought, such as: reason and sensibility, public education and private education, reason and history, popular sovereignty and lawgiver, among others