The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Principles of Political Right

"The Social Contract" is a philosophical work that discusses the concepts of sovereignty and the social contract. The author argues that all men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains, suggesting that society and its rules are a form of enslavement. However, he also posits that a social contract, where individuals come together to form a collective or a society, is necessary for the preservation of their freedom. This contract allows for the creation of a sovereign that is made up of the collective and expresses the general will, which is always right and tends towards the public utility.

The 575th greatest book of all time


Published
1762
Nationality
French
Type
Nonfiction
Pages
150-200
Words
50,000
Original Language
French
Alternate Titles
Du Contrat Social
Sobre o Contrato Social
Sobre el Contrato Social
O Contrato Social
O Contrat Social
Sopimus yhteiskunnasta
Общественный договор
社会契約論
사회계약론
De Sociaal Contract
Der Gesellschaftsvertrag
Il Contratto Sociale
On the Social Contract

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