Rousseau (The Routledge Philosophers)

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) is one of the best-known figures of the French Enlightenment and a central figure in eighteenth-century philosophy. His influential theories of the social contract, inequality, liberty and education make him one of the most famous political philosophers of all time.

In this superb introduction, Nicholas Dent covers the whole of Rousseau's thought. He gives particular attention to Rousseau's theories of democracy and freedom found in his most celebrated work, The Social Contract, and explains what Rousseau meant by the 'general will'.