The Social Contract cover art

The Social Contract

 Preview

Audible Standard 1-month free trial

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo + applicable tax after 30-day trial. Cancel Anytime
Try for $0.00
Compare plans

The Social Contract

Written by: Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Narrated by: Neville Jason
Try for $0.00

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $18.43

Buy Now for $18.43

Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. In The Social Contract, Rousseau explores the concept of freedom and the political structures that may enable people to acquire it. He argues that the sovereign power of a state lies not in any one ruler but in the will of the general population. Rousseau argues that the ideal state would be a direct democracy where executive decision making is carried out by citizens who meet in assembly, as they would in the ancient city-state of Athens. The thoughts contained in the work were instrumental to the advent of the American Revolution and became sacred to those leading the French Revolution.

With traces of Aristotle and echoes of Plato's Republic, The Social Contract is an exhilarating look at society and the definition of democracy.

New translation by Ian Johnston.

Public Domain (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks Political Science Politics & Government
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
All stars
Most Relevant
A giant contradiction with the idea that continuing to live in a jurisdiction enslaves you to its nonsense.

An hours long argument for the totality of the state over your life.

Worth reading if you know anything of “The Art of War.”

Narcissistic Ramblings of a Genevan “Philosopher”

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
extremely annoying to navigate given that the audio and chapter lists don't match, and in fact don't even mention the "book" system used

bad.

chapters don't match up with recording

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.