# The Social Contract & Discourses

**Author:** Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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**Price:** Free
**Formats:** DOCX, EPUB, FB2, PDF, TXT
**Downloads:** 25
**Added:** 10.07.2026
**URL:** https://samolit.com/books/96530

## Description

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's foundational works, The Social Contract and his influential Discourses, delve into the complex relationship between individual liberty and societal structure. The Social Contract famously opens with the declaration that "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains," then proceeds to theorize a legitimate political authority that reconciles freedom with the necessity of government. Rousseau introduces the concept of the general will, arguing that true sovereignty resides with the collective body of citizens, and laws should reflect this common good, ensuring people remain free by obeying laws they themselves create.

Complementing this, the Discourses explore humanity's journey from a natural state to civil society. The first Discourse examines whether the arts and sciences have purified or corrupted morals, while the second, "Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men," traces the emergence of social and political inequality. Together, these texts offer a profound critique of existing social orders and a powerful vision for a society founded on genuine freedom and justice.