We take up the question of amusements or entertainments and their importance to the political life of any nation. This conversation includes an overview of Rousseau’s remarkable career, an introduction to the context for the letter, and a discussion of the letter’s many themes and proposals. “In so doing,” wrote Allan Bloom, “Rousseau presented as complete a treatment of the arts in relation to politics as has ever been produced.” Rousseau soon took up his been to argue against his friend’s proposal. D’Alembert published an article on Geneva for the Encyclopédie in 1757 which included a recommendation that Geneva should have a theater. We discuss Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Letter to d’Alembert on the Theater. Here’s the second episode in our occasional series on lesser-known works by authors of acknowledged classics.
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