Considerations On The Government of Poland - Structure and Recommendations

Structure and Recommendations

The work is divided into fifteen chapters of greatly varying length. The original is in French, Rousseau's native language, but there exist translations into a number of languages.

Among other issues, Rousseau addresses his belief that small states can prosper while large states slip into anarchy or despotism. He recommends that surpassing any constitutional reforms, the most important reform Poland could make would be the adoption of a federal system. Specifically, Rousseau advocates a federation of the existing voivodships. In recommending the creation of smaller states, Rousseau recognizes the imminent First Partition with the words: "If you wish to reform your government, then, begin by narrowing your frontiers, though perhaps your neighbors intend to do that for you."

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