The Cambridge Companion to Rousseau's Social Contract

‘An instantly indispensable guide to the Social Contract, this Cambridge Companion delves deeply into Rousseau’s magnum opus to explore themes such as political psychology, civil religion, sovereignty, government, and negative versus positive liberty. Moreover, the volume investigates the Social Contract’s intricate relationship with Rousseau’s other works such as Émile, and his essays on political economy, Poland, Corsica, and D’Alembert. A landmark moment in Rousseau studies.’ John P. McCormick, University of Chicago

‘Rousseau’s masterpiece, the Social Contract is, by all accounts, his most important contribution to political philosophy. But it is also a notoriously paradoxical and difficult text, which has both inspired, enraged, and confounded its readers since its publication 250 years ago. David Lay Williams and Matthew W. Maguire have here assembled an outstanding team of experts to help us understand why it continues to fascinate.’ Helena Rosenblatt, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

‘This sterling volume gathers a range of insightful commentary on a notoriously slippery text. A fitting companion to Rousseau’s masterwork, it will be of immense value to all those who read, teach, and struggle with this foundational intervention in modern political thought.’ Darrin M. McMahon, Dartmouth College

‘The essays are self-contained and maintain a high quality throughout the text, which will be useful primarily to scholars conducting research on Rousseau and secondarily to those who do research in political theory on the topics covered here … Highly recommended.’ M. A. Michael, Choice

‘This Companion cannot be faulted for ignoring Rousseau’s pleas to pay due attention to his discussion of institutions, and for that alone, it should be housed on the shelves of Rousseau scholars. More than this, the volume communicates that Rousseau is not frozen in the eighteenth century, his work remains relevant to democratic thought, and the text contains a depth that has not yet been fully plumbed. This Companion feels fresh, and these scholars add deep meaning to the ‘Social Contract’ by revealing a great mastery over Rousseau’s body of work.’ Sara Furnal, History of European Ideas

‘The fourteen essays in this volume admirably traverse the broad scope of the Social Contract, including the oft-overlooked chapters on the republic of Rome. More scholarly than introductory, these essays will be of great utility to anyone who hopes to understand Rousseau’s enigmatic text.’ Jason Neidleman, Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies

‘[A] superb volume.’ Nardina Kaur, French Studies