Jean-Jacques Rousseau was one of the greatest--and most influential--political philosophers of all time. His writings influenced America's founding fathers; later, with less salutary results, elements of his thinking were adopted by the leaders of the French Revolution. This essential edition of Rousseau's writings includes his most classic political essays: "On the Social Contract," "Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts," "Discourse on the Origin and Foundation of Inequality among Men," "A Discourse on Political Economy," and "The State of War." It also includes an extended introduction to Rousseau and his thought, as well as notes to clarify and explain Rousseau for the modern reader.