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Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men
by Jean-Jacques Rousseau with Related DocumentsFirst Edition| ©2011 Jean Jacques Rousseau; translated, edited, and with an introduction by Helena Rosenblatt
ISBN:9781319242701
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ISBN:9780312468422
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A provocative essay that challenged the superiority of civilized society and modern government, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality made him an outcast among fellow Enlightenment thinkers but stands today as one of the most important political texts in Western history. Helena Rosenblatt's new translation, introduction, and selection of related documents help students comprehend why Rousseau's criticisms of human nature, political hierarchy, and private property were so controversial in his time yet later were hailed as a foundation of democracy. The introduction explores life experiences that shaped Rousseau's philosophy, explains contemporary ideas about political authority and social order, and guides students through Rousseau's thought, including explanations of how his work anticipated theories about evolution and inspired leaders of the French Revolution. Related primary documents -- including a selection from Rousseau's Social Contract -- situate Rousseau's ideas in contemporary political and social thought. Questions for consideration, a chronology of Rousseau's life and work, and a selected bibliography enrich students' understanding of the man and his times.
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“This volume offers considerable insight into early modern European political philosophy concerning the social contract theory. The introduction is impressively lucid. It effectively describes some complex ideas in a manner that is accessible to undergraduates without oversimplifying matters.”
-- Timothy Schroer, University of West Georgia
“The introduction is clear and well written. It deftly sketches the historical context and lays out the main philosophical issues of early modern political writing. I give it high marks for accessibility.”
-- Patrick Coleman, University of California, Los Angeles

Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men
First Edition| ©2011
Jean Jacques Rousseau; translated, edited, and with an introduction by Helena Rosenblatt
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Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men
First Edition| 2011
Jean Jacques Rousseau; translated, edited, and with an introduction by Helena Rosenblatt
Table of Contents
Preface
Rousseau's Beginnings: The Road to the Second Discourse
The Origins of Political Authority Before Rousseau
Rousseau's Bombshell: The Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality
The State of Nature
The Steps to Society
The Invention of Property
Anthropology, Psychology, and Evolutionary Biology
Rousseau and Gender
Reception of the Second Discourse
“Citizen of Geneva”: The Dedication
Rousseau's Later Life and Legacy
Rousseau and the French Revolution
The Social Contract and Its Paradoxes
Dedication
Preface
Notice about the Notes
First Part
Second Part
Rousseau's Notes
1. Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, Politics Drawn from Holy Scripture, 1709
2. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651
3. Samuel Pufendorf, On the Duty of Man and Citizen, 1673
4. John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, 1690
5. George-Louis Leclerc Buffon, Discourse on the Nature of Animals, 1753
6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Of the Social Contract, 1762
7. Maximilien Robespierre, Eulogies to Rousseau, 1790s
8. Benjamin Constant, Principles of Politics, 1810
A Jean-Jacques Rousseau Chronology (1712-1794)
Questions for Consideration
Selected Bibliography

Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men
First Edition| 2011
Jean Jacques Rousseau; translated, edited, and with an introduction by Helena Rosenblatt
Authors

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Helena Rosenblatt

Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men
First Edition| 2011
Jean Jacques Rousseau; translated, edited, and with an introduction by Helena Rosenblatt
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