Of The Social Contract, Jean Jacques Rousseau
Of The Social Contract, Jean Jacques Rousseau
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Of The Social Contract
Principles of the Political Right

Author: Jean Jacques Rousseau

Narrator: Graham Dunlop

Unabridged: 4 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/02/2024

Categories: Nonfiction, Philosophy


Synopsis

"Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains"
These are the famous opening words of a treatise that has not ceased to stir vigorous debate since its first publication in 1762. Rejecting the view that anyone has a natural right to wield authority over others, Rousseau argues instead for a pact, or 'social contract', that should exist between all the citizens of a state and that should be the source of sovereign power. From this fundamental premise, he goes on to consider issues of liberty and law, freedom and justice, arriving at a view of society that has seemed to some a blueprint for totalitarianism, to others a declaration of democratic principles.It's publication in 1762 lead to great discussion about 'what is government' on both sides of the Atlantic, and is still essential reading today.
How much government is too much? What rights should be given up for government? It is the Social Contract which is the foundational discussion on these topics.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Owlseyes on March 01, 2024

"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" "To renounce your liberty is to renounce your status as a man, your rights as a human being, and even your duties as a human being" "Liberty isn’t a fruit of every climate, so it isn’t within the reach of every people." "As long as a number of men......more

Goodreads review by Zoe on November 04, 2022

The Social Contract ★★★★☆ A Discourse on The Arts and Sciences ★★☆☆☆ A Discourse on The Origin of Inequality ★★★★☆ A Discourse on Political Economy ★★★☆☆ Note: It's loathsomely interesting though perhaps unsurprising, that even a man like Rousseau, who asserted with all his intellectual reason that slav......more

in a way, Rousseau was so ahead of his time that even today, we lack what's necessary even to fathom the idea of a political structure that can be morally right. although modern-day politics seemingly reflect Rousseau's belief about the social contract, if you really pick at the seams, what we've cr......more

Goodreads review by Bibi on June 14, 2012

An excellent book, well written and quite an indictment on western civilization. While some of his ideas I thought Utopian, some are issues that are quite relevant today. It is true civilized man will be unable to return to his or her natural state, but I guess we can aspire to those aspects that ar......more

Goodreads review by bubonic on May 02, 2018

An excellent though dated read. It has one of the most quoted opening sentences of any book to date. This book delves through what the social contract is; how it can be applied to States large and small. It goes on to detail how the Sovereign may construct and maintain a body politic within the stat......more