Published in 1762, 'A Treatise on the Social Compact' is a landmark work of political philosophy by the Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In it, Rousseau lays out his vision for a just and egalitarian society, in which individuals willingly surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for protection and security. He argues that the power of the state should be based on the will of the people, rather than the arbitrary authority of rulers. This book is a foundational text in modern political theory and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of political philosophy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.