"The legislative power is the heart of the State; the executive power is its brain, which causes the movement of all the parts."
— Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (1712-1778)
Place of Publication
Amsterdam
Publisher
Marc Michel Rey
Date
1762
Metaphor
"The legislative power is the heart of the State; the executive power is its brain, which causes the movement of all the parts."
Metaphor in Context
The life-principle of the body politic lies in the sovereign authority. The legislative power is the heart of the State; the executive power is its brain, which causes the movement of all the parts. The brain may become paralysed and the individual still live. A man may remain an imbecile and live; but as soon as the heart ceases to perform its functions, the animal is dead.
(III.xi)
Le principe de la vie politique est dans l’autorité souveraine. La puissance législative est le coeur de l’Etat, la puissance exécutive en est le cerveau, qui donne le mouvement à toutes les parties. Le cerveau peut tomber en paralysie & l’individu vivre encore. Un homme reste imbécile & vit: mais si-tôt que le coeur a cessé ses fonctions, l’animal est mort.
(III.xi)
Le principe de la vie politique est dans l’autorité souveraine. La puissance législative est le coeur de l’Etat, la puissance exécutive en est le cerveau, qui donne le mouvement à toutes les parties. Le cerveau peut tomber en paralysie & l’individu vivre encore. Un homme reste imbécile & vit: mais si-tôt que le coeur a cessé ses fonctions, l’animal est mort.
Categories
Provenance
Reading Kelly, G. A. "Mortal Man, Immortal Society?: Political Metaphors in Eighteenth-Century France Political Theory. Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb., 1986): 18. <Link to JSTOR>
Citation
Published in 1762. At least 8 entries in ESTC (1764, 1791, 1782, 1795).
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract: or Principles of Political Right. Trans. G. D. H. Cole. No. 660 of Everyman's Library. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1913. <Link to UVa Etext Center>
French text: Du contrat social, ou principes du droit politique, in Collection complète des œuvres, 17 vols (Genève, 1780–1788). <Rousseau Online>
See also A Treatise on the Social Compact; or The Principles of Politic Law (London: Printed for T. Becket, 1764). <Link to Google Books>
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract: or Principles of Political Right. Trans. G. D. H. Cole. No. 660 of Everyman's Library. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1913. <Link to UVa Etext Center>
French text: Du contrat social, ou principes du droit politique, in Collection complète des œuvres, 17 vols (Genève, 1780–1788). <Rousseau Online>
See also A Treatise on the Social Compact; or The Principles of Politic Law (London: Printed for T. Becket, 1764). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
01/10/2010
