# The Social Contract — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

- [Epigraph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/epigraph.md): The chapter opens with an epigraph from Virgil's Aeneid XI, calling for the establishment of equal laws within a compact.
- [The Social Contract](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/the-social-contract.md): Rousseau introduces the foundational problem of political right: man is born free but is everywhere in chains. He argues that no natural authority exists except that which is established by convention, and he sets out to
- [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/book-i.md): Rousseau introduces his inquiry into the legitimate rule of administration in the civil order, aiming to unite justice and utility. He explains his motivation as a citizen of a free state and a member of the Sovereign, a
- [Subject of the First Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/i-subject-of-the-first-book.md): Rousseau opens by declaring that man is born free but is everywhere in chains, questioning how this change occurred and seeking to legitimize the social order. He argues that the social order is a sacred right founded on
- [II: The First Societies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ii-the-first-societies.md): Rousseau examines the family as the most ancient and natural society, arguing that it serves as the first model for political societies. He critiques Grotius, Hobbes, and Aristotle for justifying slavery and tyranny, ass

> 50 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=the_social_contract_se_786kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [III: The Right of the Strongest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iii-the-right-of-the-strongest.md)
- [Slavery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iv-slavery.md)
- [V: That We Must Always Go Back to a First Convention](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/v-that-we-must-always-go-back-to-a-first-convention.md)
- [The Social Compact](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vi-the-social-compact.md)
- [VII: The Sovereign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-the-sovereign.md)
- [VIII: The Civil State](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-the-civil-state.md)
- [Real Property](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ix-real-property.md)
- [Book II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/book-ii.md)
- [I: That Sovereignty Is Inalienable](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/i-that-sovereignty-is-inalienable.md)
- [II: That Sovereignty Is Indivisible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ii-that-sovereignty-is-indivisible.md)
- [Whether the General Will Is Fallible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iii-whether-the-general-will-is-fallible.md)
- [IV: The Limits of the Sovereign Power](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iv-the-limits-of-the-sovereign-power.md)
- [The Right of Life and Death](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/v-the-right-of-life-and-death.md)
- [VI: Law](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vi-law.md)
- [The Legislator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-the-legislator.md)
- [The People](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-the-people.md)
- [IX: The People (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ix-the-people-continued.md)
- [X: The People (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/x-the-people-continued.md)
- [XI: The Various Systems of Legislation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xi-the-various-systems-of-legislation.md)
- [XII: The Division of the Laws](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xii-the-division-of-the-laws.md)
- [Book III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/book-iii.md)
- [Government in General](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/i-government-in-general.md)
- [II: The Constituent Principle in the Various Forms of Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ii-the-constituent-principle-in-the-various-forms-of-government.md)
- [III: The Division of Governments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iii-the-division-of-governments.md)
- [IV: Democracy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iv-democracy.md)
- [V: Aristocracy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/v-aristocracy.md)
- [Monarchy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vi-monarchy.md)
- [Mixed Governments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-mixed-governments.md)
- [That All Forms of Government Do Not Suit All Countries](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-that-all-forms-of-government-do-not-suit-all-countries.md)
- [IX: The Marks of a Good Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ix-the-marks-of-a-good-government.md)
- [X: The Abuse of Government and Its Tendency to Degenerate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/x-the-abuse-of-government-and-its-tendency-to-degenerate.md)
- [XI: The Death of the Body Politic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xi-the-death-of-the-body-politic.md)
- [XII: How the Sovereign Authority Maintains Itself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xii-how-the-sovereign-authority-maintains-itself.md)
- [XIII: The Same (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xiii-the-same-continued.md)
- [XIV: The Same (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xiv-the-same-continued.md)
- [Deputies or Representatives](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xv-deputies-or-representatives.md)
- [XVI: That the Institution of Government Is Not a Contract](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xvi-that-the-institution-of-government-is-not-a-contract.md)
- [XVII: The Institution of Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xvii-the-institution-of-government.md)
- [How to Check the Usurpations of Government](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/xviii-how-to-check-the-usurpations-of-government.md)
- [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/book-iv.md)
- [I: That the General Will Is Indestructible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/i-that-the-general-will-is-indestructible.md)
- [II: Voting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ii-voting.md)
- [Elections](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iii-elections.md)
- [IV: The Roman Comitia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iv-the-roman-comitia.md)
- [V: The Tribunate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/v-the-tribunate.md)
- [The Dictatorship](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vi-the-dictatorship.md)
- [VII: The Censorship](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-the-censorship.md)
- [Civil Religion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-civil-religion.md)
- [IX: Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ix-conclusion.md)
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/endnotes.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters