Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) gained his greatest satisfaction from argument and provocation. After a wayward youth he largely took care of his own education, and won public recognition with a prize essay arguing that the arts and sciences have a corrupting influence. His reputation was secured in 1762 with 'The Social Contract', in the same year copies of his novel 'Mile' were burned in Paris and Geneva and the French authorities issued an order for his arrest.
With his suspicion of all education relying only on books, and his belief that human goodness flourishes best when nature is left to take care of itself, Rousseau gave a decisive impetus to the ideas of the Romantic movement.
