Define Jean-Jacques Rousseau as a scholar?

In almost every area of philosophy, the influence of
Jean-Jacques Rouseau's profound insight can be found.  But, he is probably best known
for his idea of the "noble savage" when in "the state of nature."  In other words,
people are essentially good, but are corrupted and made unhappy by their experiences in
society.  Rousseau perceived society as artificial and corrupt; he felt that the
furthering of society and its corruptness is what causes the unhappiness of individuals
that leads to evil deeds.

However, his work entitled
The Social Contract, which describes man's relationship with
society, contradicts somewhat his earlier ideas.  In it he stresses the concept of man's
being a savage initially; in this brutish state, he only can become good as a result of
the community of others because he can better confront threats when joined to other men
in the collective human presence called "society."  The "Social Contract" is the
contract agreed to by men to set the conditions for this collective presence, or
membership.

One of the first writers to attack the
ownership of private property, Rousseau is considered a forbearer of modern socialism. 
He also challenged the rule of the majority; Rousseau contended that should be to secure
freedom, equality, and justice for all despite the will of the majority.  In addition,
he felt that politics and morality should never be
seaparated.

Moreover, Rousseau's ideas had a profound
impact upon modern educational theory.  Minimizing the importance of book learning,
Rousseau emphasized the education of a child's emotions prior to that of reason, placing
a special emphasis on learning by experience:

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The training of children is a profession in which
we must know how to waste time in order to save
it.

There is no doubt that
Rousseau had a tremendous influence in many areas of thought that have affected
America's society and its educational system. Incidentally, his concepts have even been
spoofed in a movie starring Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwartzenegger called Twins in
which the two actors are born twins but one grows up in the streets of New York while
the other is raised on a island paradise as the "noble savage" away from society's
corruption.