https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-contract/g-d-h-cole
The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- 56,521 words (3 hours 26 minutes) with a reading ease of 50.91 (fairly difficult)
- Translated by G. D. H. Cole.
- Part of the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Great Books of the Western World set.
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In The Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau presents a political philosophy based on the principle that legitimate authority originates from the consent of the people. Individuals willingly surrender their rights in order to create a collective sovereign, which embodies the general will of the people.
Rousseau examines different forms of government, addresses the challenges of ensuring that a government executes the general will of the people, and addresses the need for safeguards against the abuse of power. He demonstrates that active citizenship and a strong social compact are crucial for maintaining a just and free society.
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I read this in High School because it was on a summer reading list. (Those Christian Brothers really knew how to ruin a boy’s summer. Bless their souls. It sunk in after one or more decades.) I had to go to the library to read it. (It was only available in an expensive hard cover. My money went to comic books.) At the library I saw a complete set of the Great Books of the Western World from the Encyclopædia Britannica. I was awed by the row. Didn’t read them but I could have. (Shoulda, coulda, and woulda!)
It is amazing at the “riches” the net provides if it’s just used properly.
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