The Social Contract and Discourses

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, P. D. Jimack, G. D. H. Cole — 1993

Inspired by ancient Greek city states, Rousseau searched for a way which states of his day could be equally representative Holding men in wretched subservience, feudalism–alongside religion–was a powerful force in the eighteenth century. Self-serving monarchic social systems, which collectively reduced common people to servitude, were now attacked by Enlightenment philosophers, of whom Rouseau was a leading light. His masterpiece, The Social Contract, profoundly influenced the subsequent development of society and remains provocative in a modern age of continuing widespread vested interest. This is the most comprehensive paperback edition available, with introduction, notes, index and chronology of Rousseau's life and times.

Reviews

Ahmed Salem@salem309

Sep 6, 2022

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

Diana Platgalve@dianaplatgalve

Dec 15, 2021

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.