The Social Contract or Principles of Political Law

Description

The Social Contract, or Principles of Political Law, is a book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in which he presented his theory on the best way to establish a political society in the face of societal problems. The book inspired several political reforms and revolutions in Europe, particularly in France. After the collapse of the legitimacy of absolute monarchies and theocracies as the basis of governance in Europe, it became necessary to search for an alternative legitimacy upon which the system of government could be founded, defining the responsibilities of the ruler and the ruled, and the duties and rights incumbent upon each. Therefore, many thinkers and philosophers emerged who worked to create a new legal pact to govern the relationship between the two parties. Among these thinkers who sought to establish this pact was Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who proposed the idea of ​​the social contract, along with other Enlightenment thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke.