Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau Jean Jacques

Presents the eighteenth century French philosopher's views on society and the relationship between the individual and the state

The Social Contract

This volume brings together three of Rousseau's most important political writings--The Social Contract and The First Discourse (Discourse on the Sciences and Arts) and The Second Discourse (Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality)--and presents essays by major scholars that shed light on these texts.

Ahmed Salem

سوف أستعيد هنا ذكرياتي مع كتاب الأمير لمكيافيلي ... كتب سمعت عنه كثيرا و تشوقت لقرائته لأنه من كلاسيكيات كتب علوم السياسة التي شكلت عالمنا الحالي....

ثم تأتي اللقاءات صادمة. محتوى و معلومة تجدها منطقية جدا (في الغالب لم تكن منطقية على ايامهم) ثم لغة تستخدم الفاظ متقعرة تجعل من رحلتك مع الكتاب بائسة و تصعب عليك فهم الجملة

لا انصح بقراءة الكتاب للمهتم و المطلع بالشأن السياسي اليومي فعلياً. فقط هو لمن اراد القراءة بنية التوثيق التاريخي

Rousseau argues for the preservation of individual freedom min political society. An individual can only be free under the law, he says, by voluntarily embracing that law as his own. This text is not only a defence of civil society, but also a study of the darker side of political systems.

Diana Platgalve

As a communitarian thinker Rousseau is arguing that in the community of equals none gives up their freedom for other individuals but for the idea of an equal community. Therefore “the social contract” or governance must be organised by the general will (law; which is always right).
For Rousseau true democracy has never existed and never will exist, concluding that it is contrary for majority to rule minority. 

The most problematic part of the book for me were the idea of “forcing people to be free.” Because they can be “mistaken of their real will.” 

After reading this book I am still not convinced that there is one answer to what is the best for a community.

Zoe Murphy

Louisa

Sarah Sammis

Darcy Lambert

Amelia Raptis

Gita May

For this edition Susan Dunn has provided a new translation of the "Discourse on the Sciences and Arts" and has revised a previously published translation of "The Social Contract".

The Social Contract

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