The Social Contract

This is a Boundary Bay Classics edition of “The Social Contract” by philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The book theorizes about how to establish legitimate political authority within a community in a way that is compatible with individual freedom, particularly in response to the challenges posed by commercial and modern society. Rousseau rejects the idea of divinely ordained rule, arguing instead that sovereignty belongs to the people. He introduces the concept of the “general will,” claiming that only laws reflecting this collective will are legitimate, since true freedom comes from obeying laws citizens give themselves.