Lehrman American Studies Center

I use this translation not only because of the collection of essays and translation but also because of its affordability for students. In my Introduction to Political Thought or History of Political Thought courses, I have students start with The Discourses on the Science and Arts and on the Origins of Inequality before they read The Social Contract. I don't have students read Rousseau's Notes on the Discourses on the Origin of Inequality and the Discourse on Political Economy because of time and interest. In The Social Contract, I focus mostly on the first two books, with whatever time is left over reserved for book three (I usually don't even bother with book four). In my courses, I assign Rousseau after Locke's Second Treatise in order to illuminate the differences between the two theorists' theories of social contract and how they reflected (and still reflect) the political and cultural differences between the United States and France.