What does Jean-Jacques Rousseau attribute as the source of social ills?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau attributes social ills primarily to private property. In his influential work "The Social Contract," Rousseau argues that the institution of private property creates greed and competition among individuals, leading to inequality and social conflicts. He believed that in a natural state, people were generally good and cooperative, but the establishment of property rights shifted human interactions toward self-interest and alienation. This alienation leads to a breakdown of social bonds and increases social strife, as people begin to prioritize their own wealth and status over the common good. Rousseau's critique of private property highlights how it can distort human relationships and contribute to societal issues such as inequality, oppression, and moral decay, thus positioning it as a central problem in understanding social ills.