Imagine a society where everyone's agreement forms its governing principles — that's what Rousseau dissects in "The Social Contract." It's not just a historical artifact; it’s a living, breathing call to question and redefine our understanding of authority and personal freedom. If you've ever pondered the legitimacy of governmental power or the paradox of being 'free in chains,' this book will not just intrigue you; it will challenge you to think more deeply about the society you inhabit.

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"Man is born free; and everywhere he is 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. In his introduction, Maurice Cranston examines the historical and political ideas that influenced Rousseau and places The Social Contract against a backdrop of Rousseau’s remarkable personality and life.

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