Treatise on the Human Nature of Mencius and Rousseau

This study aims to clarify the difference between the treatise on the human nature of Mencius and that of Rousseau. From this study, we will be able to understand that both Gaozi and Rousseau thought that human nature is neither good nor bad but can degenerate with the influence of a bad society. But on the other hand, Mencius insisted that human nature is good and cannot degenerate by any external causes including human society. Even when someone argues that he still has a lot to say about Mencius’ treatise on human nature, he can accept the fact that Mencius and Rousseau had very different opinions on human nature. And that is the only fact that this short study tried to make clear.