The Social Contract: Gilded Pocket Edition

(Hardback)

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Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.

This elegant collector's edition presents Jean-Jacques Rousseau's classic philosophical work, The Social Contract, featuring gold cover embossing and gilded page-edges.

The Social Contract is one of the most influential studies of political philosophy ever made, presenting a radical vision of how society should be organised to ensure the liberty and equality of its citizens. Arguing against the 'divine right' of the monarchy, Rousseau instead claims that state should be governed by the collective will of the people and their shared interests. It is only through this 'social contract' that man can be free. Rousseau's ideas influenced both the French and American Revolutions and created the foundations of the liberal democratic societies that exist today.

This beautiful pocket-sized gift edition contains the classic and unabridged text, presented with a gold embossed cover design, ivory pages, beautifully designed endpapers and gold gilded page edges. Part of the Arcturus Ornate Classics series, this book makes wonderful gift for any philosophy lover.

ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Ornate Classics are beautiful pocket editions of iconic literary works from across history. Presented with striking foil cover embossing, gilded page edges, and deluxe ivory paper, these editions make the perfect gift for lovers of classic literature.

Author Bio

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in 1762 in Geneva, became one of the most important men in 18th-century France. He was one of the foremost philosophers of the Enlightenment and wrote a number of books to promote his ideas including the Discourse on Political Economy, The Social Contract and Emile.

G. D. H Cole (1889-1959) was a political theorist and university teacher who held important academic posts at Oxford University. He became prominent immediately before the First World War as a leading exponent of guild socialism and published his first major work, The World of Labour, in 1913. During the 1930s he was acknowledged as the most prolific writer on the intellectual history of British socialism in articles in the New Statesman and in his works, which included A History of Socialist Thought (1953-8). He was married to Margaret Postgate (sister of Raymond Postgate) with whom he collaborated in detective fiction.