社約論

by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

　　盧梭著《社約論》是西方近代政治哲學經典名著，也是近代民主理論的思想基石之一。本書原為作者更大寫作計畫的一部分，後來僅此部分獨立成書。初稿名為《論社會契約或論共和國的形式》，簡稱《中內瓦手稿》。第二稿，也就是後來的流行本，名為《論社會契約或政治法權的原理》。中文本是依劇流行本及其英譯的中文譯本。

　　本書主張沒有人有支配其他人的自然權力，暴力並不產生任何權，契約是人與人間合法權力的基礎。全書計分四編，第一編提出社會與權力來自自由平等之人的結社之約，並界定社約、主權體、國家等概念。第二編討論主權的性質以及法律、立法者與人民之關係。第三篇討論政府，各種政體與主權的維持。第四編論公共意志、選舉與政教關係。本書是關心民主政治及其哲學的必讀經典。

222 pages, Paperback

Published February 29, 2000

About the author

Genevan philosopher and writer Jean Jacques Rousseau held that society usually corrupts the essentially good individual; his works include The Social Contract and Émile (both 1762).

This important figure in the history contributed to political and moral psychology and influenced later thinkers. Own firmly negative view saw the post-hoc rationalizers of self-interest, apologists for various forms of tyranny, as playing a role in the modern alienation from natural impulse of humanity to compassion. The concern to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world of increasingly dependence for the satisfaction of their needs dominates work. This concerns a material dimension and a more important psychological dimensions. Rousseau a fact that in the modern world, humans come to derive their very sense of self from the opinions as corrosive of freedom and destructive of authenticity. In maturity, he principally explores the first political route, aimed at constructing institutions that allow for the co-existence of equal sovereign citizens in a community; the second route to achieving and protecting freedom, a project for child development and education, fosters autonomy and avoids the development of the most destructive forms of self-interest. Rousseau thinks or the possible co-existence of humans in relations of equality and freedom despite his consistent and overwhelming pessimism that humanity will escape from a dystopia of alienation, oppression, and unfreedom. In addition to contributions, Rousseau acted as a composer, a music theorist, the pioneer of modern autobiography, a novelist, and a botanist. Appreciation of the wonders of nature and his stress on the importance of emotion made Rousseau an influence on and anticipator of the romantic movement. To a very large extent, the interests and concerns that mark his work also inform these other activities, and contributions of Rousseau in ostensibly other fields often serve to illuminate his commitments and arguments.