The debate on inequality. On the social contract

The Treatise on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men (1755), together with the Social Contract (1762), forms the core of Rousseau's political theory, which profoundly influenced modern political thought and the revolutions of the 18th century. This edition brings the first complete translation of the Treatise on Inequality (including the previously unprinted accompanying texts) and a new translation of the Social Contract after more than seventy years. Both texts are complemented by a rich commentary that places the writings in the context of the author's life and work, as well as in a contemporary historical and political context, thus enabling a better understanding of the originality of Rousseau's thought and its relevance for the present.