THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
OR PRINCIPLES OF POLITICAL RIGHT

Jean Jacques Rousseau

FOREWORD

This little treatise is part of a longer work which I began years ago without realizing my limitations, and long since abandoned. Of the various fragments that might have been extracted from what I wrote, this is the most considerable, and, I think, the least unworthy of being offered to the public. The rest no longer exists.

BOOK I

Chapter 1    THE SUBJECT OF THE FIRST BOOK

BOOK II

Chapter 1   THAT SOVEREIGNTY IS INALIENABLE
Chapter 2  
THAT SOVEREIGNTY IS INDIVISIBLE
Chapter 3  
WHETHER THE GENERAL WILL IS FALLIBLE
Chapter 4  
THE LIMITS OF THE SOVEREIGN POWER
Chapter 5  
THE RIGHT OF LIFE AND DEATH
Chapter 6  
LAW
Chapter 7  
THE LEGISLATOR
Chapter 8  
THE PEOPLE
Chapter 9  
THE SAME (Continued)
Chapter 10  
THE SAME (Continued)
Chapter 11  
THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS OF LEGISLATION
Chapter 12  
THE DIVISION OF THE LAWS

BOOK III

Chapter 1   GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL
Chapter 2  
THE CONSTITUENT PRINCIPLE IN THE VARIOUS FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
Chapter 3  
THE DIVISION OF GOVERNMENTS
Chapter 4  
DEMOCRACY
Chapter 5  
ARISTOCRACY
Chapter 6  
MONARCHY
Chapter 7  
MIXED GOVERNMENTS
Chapter 8  
THAT ALL FORMS OF GOVERNMENT DO NOT SUIT ALL COUNTRIES
Chapter 9  
THE MARKS OF A GOOD GOVERNMENT
Chapter
10   THE ABUSE OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS TENDENCY TO DEGENERATE
Chapter
11   THE DEATH OF THE BODY POLITIC
Chapter 12  
HOW THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY MAINTAINS ITSELF
Chapter 13  
THE SAME (Continued)
Chapter 14  
THE SAME (Continued)
Chapter 15  
DEPUTIES OR REPRESENTATIVES
Chapter 16  
THAT THE INSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT A CONTRACT
Chapter 17  
THE INSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT
Chapter 18  
HOW TO CHECK THE USURPATIONS OF GOVERNMENT

BOOK IV:

Chapter 1   THAT THE GENERAL WILL IS INDESTRUCTIBLE
Chapter 2  
VOTING
Chapter 3
  ELECTIONS
Chapter 4
  THE ROMAN COMITIA
Chapter 5  
THE TRIBUNATE
Chapter 6
  THE DICTATORSHIP
Chapter 7  
THE CENSORSHIP
Chapter 8  
CIVIL RELIGION
Chapter 9  
CONCLUSION