Rousseau and Kant on Law

Kant and Rousseau share many similar viewpoints regarding how laws should be created, but when it comes to the concept of law itself, they differ greatly. Both Rousseau and Kant agree that laws which are agreed by everyone within the state are the only which can be bound to. However they take very different paths in order to reach this agreement. Kant's universal law is his categorical imperative, whereas Rousseau's uses his general law in …

…law comes from within each man. Kant takes a position that every man should agree to treat others as they would want to be treated. Obviously, since no man would ever want to be lied to or cheated, a consensus forms. In the end, they both agree that only laws by which everyone agrees on can rule the state. However, they took very different steps in order to work their philosophies to reach that position.