Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Vom Gesellschaftsvertrag

Modest in scope, revolutionary in impact, and controversial in interpretation: Rousseau's work "On the Social Contract, or Principles of Political Right" (1762) remains one of the undisputed classics of modern political philosophy. The social contract, the turning point between the state of nature and the state, is paradoxical; it is meant to ensure the complete freedom of individuals while simultaneously creating a common identity among them, as individuals are to unconditionally become citizens of this one state. The modern ideal of freedom is transplanted into an ancient polis community. The interpretation of the text is complicated by the fact that it is, on one hand, a legal-philosophical treatise connected to a scholarly tradition, and on the other hand, a political pamphlet with rhetorical embellishments. This collection of essays aims to do justice to the ambiguities of the book.