Social Contract

"e;The Social Contract"e; (French: Du Contrat Social, also translated as "e;The Civil Contract"e; or "e;The Principles of Political Right"e;) is a political philosophy work written by the French thinker Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The book is divided into four chapters: the first chapter, "e;On Social Contract,"e; discusses social structure and social contracts; the second chapter, "e;On Sovereign Power,"e; elaborates on sovereignty and its powers; the third chapter, "e;On Government,"e; explains government and its forms of operation; and the fourth chapter, "e;On Civil Society,"e; discusses several social organizations. With profound legal wisdom and immense intellectual effort, it constructs and expresses how to form a scientific system of the concept of the rule of law. The fundamental issue it addresses is how to correctly understand and handle the nature and role of the state and government, as well as their relationships with citizens and society. The idea of popular sovereignty in "e;The Social Contract"e; is the cornerstone of modern democratic systems and has profoundly influenced European revolutionary movements and the War of Independence in the British North American colonies.