--- product_id: 234258466 title: "The Social Contract" price: "NZ$32" currency: NZD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/234258466-the-social-contract store_origin: NZ region: New Zealand --- # The Social Contract **Price:** NZ$32 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Social Contract - **How much does it cost?** NZ$32 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/234258466-the-social-contract) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Social Contract , written by the influential philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau , is a foundational work of modern political thought that has had a significant impact on the world. It examines the complex relationship between individuals and the state, and explores how people can form a society based on a mutual agreement about the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Rousseau argues that people can create a society in which everyone is free and equal, a society that is based on a social contract that is agreed upon by all. This groundbreaking work has been inspiring political and social reformers for centuries, and it remains an essential text for understanding the history of political thought. This edition is excerpted from the 1920 translation by G.D.H. Cole (1889-1959). Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a philosopher, author and political theorist who lived in the 18th century and is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment. He was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1712 and died in 1778. Rousseau's ideas had a profound impact on the development of modern political thought, particularly in terms of his advocacy for democracy and the rights of the individual. He was a major influence on the French Revolution and the development of the modern social contract. Rousseau's most famous works include The Social Contract , his autobiography Confessions , and his novel Emile . His ideas on education and government were revolutionary for the time an had a lasting impact on the way people think about these topics. He was a strong advocate for democracy, believing that it was the only form of government that could protect the rights of the individual. He also argued for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources and believed that people should be free to pursue their own interests. Rousseau's philosophy has been widely studied and discussed since his death, and his works continue to be read and discussed today. He is considered one of the most important figures of the Enlightenment and his legacy of political and social reform lives on. His work has profoundly shaped modern political thought and continues to be an important reference point for political theorists and philosopher. Review: Must have - Great book, it is small and fits right in your hand. It is a good size book to take with you while you travel. Great topics to, of a great revolutionary mind which leaks some of the building blocks of our democratic republic. Review: A social contract is a tricky thing - "Social contract" is a term that is thrown about pretty widely in our society. People will talk in a casual if sometimes facile manner about the idea that people willingly give up the theoretically total freedom of a state of nature in exchange for the benefits that life in a civilized society provides. But what Jean-Jacques Rousseau means by the term, as expressed in his classic work "The Social Contract" (1762), is much more complex and much more nuanced. "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains" -- it is on this seemingly paradoxical note that Rousseau begins "The Social Contract." Indeed, there is a contrarian strain to Rousseau's work that is at once infuriating and refreshing. One gets the sense that Rousseau enjoyed the philosophical challenge of taking on the counterintuitive side of an argument, of expressing whatever might go against the received wisdom of his time. At the same time, however, one always has a strong sense that the man from Geneva believes deeply in what he says. Rousseau takes great care in differentiating between the executive and legislative functions of government, just as carefully as he distinguishes between "the sovereign" and "the government." Perhaps because I was traveling in Lucerne while reading "The Social Contract," I took particular interest in Rousseau's assertion that small countries were best suited for republican government, as when he writes that democratic government is best suited to "a very small state, where the people may be readily assembled and where each citizen may easily know all the others" (p. 113). Looking at the beautiful little cities of Switzerland, each one sheltered by a cool clear lake at its front and a wall of mountains at its back, I could understand why Rousseau may have thought that such a setting was perfect for successful republican government. It seems worthy of mentioning, in that connection, that Geneva is still officially "the *Republic and* Canton of Geneva" (emphasis mine). Truly, the Swiss take their independence seriously. Think about *that* the next time you're in the old section of Zurich, enjoying some cheese fondue and a glass of Chasselas. How, I found myself wondering, would Rousseau have felt about the United States as an experiment in building a large republic? When Rousseau wrote "The Social Contract" in 1762, the French & Indian War was not yet over, and the idea of American independence from Great Britain was not even on the horizon. By the time Rousseau died in 1778, the Continental Army had won the battle of Saratoga, and American independence was starting to seem like more of a real possibility. Did Rousseau ever talk about any of that? I don't know. There were plenty of times when I found myself disagreeing with Rousseau. Among the city-states of classical Greece, he prefers Sparta to Athens, and I could not disagree with him more in that regard. I also thought that he treated the topic of dictatorship much too lightly and casually, as when he assures us that "a dictator could in certain cases defend the public freedom without ever being able to invade it" (p. 172); if he had lived through the 20th century, and had been writing "The Social Contract" in, say, 1962 rather than 1762, perhaps he would written about dictatorship quite differently. But I think Rousseau would have liked having readers disagree with him; for him, that was no doubt an integral part of the dialogue regarding the relationship between the individual and society. This Penguin edition of "The Social Contract" is a good way for a first-time reader of Rousseau to get to know the philosopher and his work. The preface by British scholar and translator Maurice Cranston does an excellent job of situating "The Social Contract" in its social and historical context, and in terms of the biographical facts of Rousseau's life. Rousseau's reflections on government, on society, on sovereignty (be ready to hear a lot about the "general will"), are always thought-provoking. Read "The Social Contract"; and when you are done reading it, reflect on how you as an individual relate to the society in which you live. How do you feel regarding the terms of the contract that Jean-Jacques Rousseau says you have signed? ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #135,747 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #61 in Political Philosophy (Books) #714 in History & Theory of Politics | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,030 Reviews | ## Images ![The Social Contract - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31uFhzJYOEL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Must have *by S***3 on February 18, 2026* Great book, it is small and fits right in your hand. It is a good size book to take with you while you travel. Great topics to, of a great revolutionary mind which leaks some of the building blocks of our democratic republic. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A social contract is a tricky thing *by P***L on June 8, 2013* "Social contract" is a term that is thrown about pretty widely in our society. People will talk in a casual if sometimes facile manner about the idea that people willingly give up the theoretically total freedom of a state of nature in exchange for the benefits that life in a civilized society provides. But what Jean-Jacques Rousseau means by the term, as expressed in his classic work "The Social Contract" (1762), is much more complex and much more nuanced. "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains" -- it is on this seemingly paradoxical note that Rousseau begins "The Social Contract." Indeed, there is a contrarian strain to Rousseau's work that is at once infuriating and refreshing. One gets the sense that Rousseau enjoyed the philosophical challenge of taking on the counterintuitive side of an argument, of expressing whatever might go against the received wisdom of his time. At the same time, however, one always has a strong sense that the man from Geneva believes deeply in what he says. Rousseau takes great care in differentiating between the executive and legislative functions of government, just as carefully as he distinguishes between "the sovereign" and "the government." Perhaps because I was traveling in Lucerne while reading "The Social Contract," I took particular interest in Rousseau's assertion that small countries were best suited for republican government, as when he writes that democratic government is best suited to "a very small state, where the people may be readily assembled and where each citizen may easily know all the others" (p. 113). Looking at the beautiful little cities of Switzerland, each one sheltered by a cool clear lake at its front and a wall of mountains at its back, I could understand why Rousseau may have thought that such a setting was perfect for successful republican government. It seems worthy of mentioning, in that connection, that Geneva is still officially "the *Republic and* Canton of Geneva" (emphasis mine). Truly, the Swiss take their independence seriously. Think about *that* the next time you're in the old section of Zurich, enjoying some cheese fondue and a glass of Chasselas. How, I found myself wondering, would Rousseau have felt about the United States as an experiment in building a large republic? When Rousseau wrote "The Social Contract" in 1762, the French & Indian War was not yet over, and the idea of American independence from Great Britain was not even on the horizon. By the time Rousseau died in 1778, the Continental Army had won the battle of Saratoga, and American independence was starting to seem like more of a real possibility. Did Rousseau ever talk about any of that? I don't know. There were plenty of times when I found myself disagreeing with Rousseau. Among the city-states of classical Greece, he prefers Sparta to Athens, and I could not disagree with him more in that regard. I also thought that he treated the topic of dictatorship much too lightly and casually, as when he assures us that "a dictator could in certain cases defend the public freedom without ever being able to invade it" (p. 172); if he had lived through the 20th century, and had been writing "The Social Contract" in, say, 1962 rather than 1762, perhaps he would written about dictatorship quite differently. But I think Rousseau would have liked having readers disagree with him; for him, that was no doubt an integral part of the dialogue regarding the relationship between the individual and society. This Penguin edition of "The Social Contract" is a good way for a first-time reader of Rousseau to get to know the philosopher and his work. The preface by British scholar and translator Maurice Cranston does an excellent job of situating "The Social Contract" in its social and historical context, and in terms of the biographical facts of Rousseau's life. Rousseau's reflections on government, on society, on sovereignty (be ready to hear a lot about the "general will"), are always thought-provoking. Read "The Social Contract"; and when you are done reading it, reflect on how you as an individual relate to the society in which you live. How do you feel regarding the terms of the contract that Jean-Jacques Rousseau says you have signed? ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Seeds of collectivism *by D***G on April 22, 2016* The introduction was very descriptive and by itself worth the read. Rousseau's famous writing is a somewhat odd work which leaves many questions. The author's primary focus is submission to a "social contract" to legitimize political rule...if everyone gives up the same rights, everyone will feel free. He denounces luxury and property as immoral and states that subsistence living is the most moral life to lead. He describes the ideal society as being lead by a "sovereign" (seemed to imply a democratic sovereign, as in different varieties of majority rule) and a "government" (executive branch to enforce laws set by the sovereign). He details how this system can go wrong if branch powers are not proportioned (can't enhance sovereign legislation if executive branch lacks power to enforce...etc.). He also describes how the size and characteristics of a kingdom are likely to produce a unique style of government. He talks much about the dangers of larger states, and thus may support smaller states, but it wasn't entirely clear to me. Perhaps it was my comprehension, but the author made remarks throughout the book which seem to offer some refutation of his own claims. He talks about how inhumanly moral a government leader should be, but then still accepts human leadership. He speaks of the best ways to elect reps, but also speaks poorly of representative sovereign agents in general. At one point he appears very against force, and at another he feels it is ok. He seems to accept that individuals will always seek their own interest, and that this should be allowed, but then suggests that all need to forgo this reality in favor of the "general will." In other words he appeared to support secession if individuals did not agree with the general will. His definition of liberty was also difficult to understand, though this was an expectation set in the intro. There is much discussion of democracy vs aristocracy vs monarchy, basically an extension of Aristotle's Politics. Upon reflection, this work was likely influenced by events around him (pre-French Revolution)...possibly feeling more radical now than it would have then. After all, in Rousseau's own world he'd hardly have time to write his books! ## Frequently Bought Together - The Social Contract - Leviathan (Penguin Classics) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nz/products/234258466-the-social-contract](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/234258466-the-social-contract) --- *Product available on Desertcart New Zealand* *Store origin: NZ* *Last updated: 2026-07-13*