Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Rousseau and the Social Contract (Routledge Philosophy GuideBooks) [Paperback]

Christopher Bertram (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0415201993 | ISBN-13: 978-0415201995 | Edition: 1

Rousseau's Social Contract is a benchmark in political philosophy and has influenced moral and political thought since its publication. Rousseau and the Social Contract introduces and assesses:

*Rousseau's life and the background of the Social Contract
*The ideas and arguments of the Social Contract
*Rousseau's continuing importance to politics and philosophy

Rousseau and the Social Contract will be essential reading for all students of philosophy and politics, and anyone coming to Rousseau for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...the book is smart, well-written and fair. It is both the best available companion for the first-time reader of the Social Contract and a valuable contribution to the scholarship on Rousseau. Matthew Simpson, Journal of the History of Philosophy

'Bertram gives us an insightful account of Rousseau’s character, an exemplary and charitable commentary on the Social Contract, and a brief but lucid account of his influence on later thinkers... a book which we should read and for which we should give thanks.'  - Tony Lynch, Australian Journal of Political Science

About the Author

Christopher Bertram is senior lecturer of philosophy at Bristol University and has written for many journals in the political philosophy area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (November 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415201993
• ISBN-13: 978-0415201995
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,729,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful guide, April 3, 2005

By 

A Reader (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Rousseau and the Social Contract (Routledge Philosophy GuideBooks) (Paperback)

This is a vey useful guide to the social contract. It's especially good in showing how The Social Contract fits with Roussea's other writings. It would be a good book for students of political science, philosophy, or those interested in European history. It doesn't presuppose a great deal of philosophical background, but isn't boring for those who have it. I especially though that Bertram did a nice job of connecting The Social Contract with Rousseau's other writings, showing how they fit together (or don't, as the case may be.) I would have liked it to be a bit longer and more in depth at times, but it's a nicely done, informative, and readable book.