The Social Contract and The First and Second Discourses (Rethinking the Western Tradition) by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (PDF)

Description

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s ideas about society, culture, and government are pivotal in the history of political thought. His works are as controversial as they are relevant today. This volume brings together three of Rousseau’s most important political writings―The Social Contract and The First Discourse (Discourse on the Sciences and Arts) and The Second Discourse (Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality)―andpresents essays by major scholars that shed light on the dimensions and implications of these texts. Susan Dunn’s introductory essay underlines the unity of Rousseau’s political thought and explains why his ideas influenced Jacobin revolutionaries in France but repelled American revolutionaries across the ocean. Gita May’s essay discusses Rousseau as cultural critic. Robert N. Bellah explores Rousseau’s attempt to resolve the tension between the individual’s desire for freedom and the obligations that society imposes. David Bromwich analyzes Rousseau as a psychologist of the human self. And Conor Cruise O’Brien takes on the “noxious,” “deranged” Rousseau, excoriated by Edmund Burke but admired by Robespierre and Thomas Jefferson. Written from different, even opposing perspectives, these lucid essays convey a sense of the vital and contentious debate surrounding Rousseau and his legacy. For this edition Susan Dunn has provided a new translation of the Discourse on the Sciences and Arts andhas revised a previously published translation of The Social Contract.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I will use this text as the reading for a course on Locke/Rousseau I am teaching next semester. Gives you a lot of major works in good translations, with lots of good supplementary materials, in a well made volume.

⭐These books are pretty thin in volume, yet contain many profound ideas that propelled modern democracy to become the most common social order in the West. Although Rousseau famously states that a true democracy is possible only for nation of Gods and he would not characterize current democracies as such, it is worth of reading, given the clarity of his thoughts and few remarkable predictions – e.g. regarding Corsica and Russia.

⭐It is very helpful to bring these three texts together in one volume. My only complaint is that this volume does not include all of the endnotes to the Second Discourse, and some of those it does include are incomplete.To be sure, Rousseau says that, for some readers, reading the notes is unnecessary. The question is whether you consider yourself such a reader.

⭐My Daughter used this book for college, it was very useful. Prof. wanted them to print pages to bring to class, but that was so expensive.

⭐Wonderfully enlightening essays, helpful contextual notes, and wide margins make this edition an excellent choice for the serious student of Rousseau, or the casual reader.

⭐got it for school, and it’s enlightening if you read it carefully

⭐great book; must read

⭐Great condition

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