Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality

Rousseau, Jean Jacques

ISBN 10: 0199555427 / ISBN 13: 9780199555420

Published by Oxford University Press, 2009

1st edition. 176 pages. 7.50x4.75x0.50 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # x-0199555427

Synopsis:

In his Discourses (1755), Rousseau argues that inequalities of rank, wealth, and power are the inevitable result of the civilizing process. If inequality is intolerable - and Rousseau shows with unparalledled eloquence how it robs us not only of our material but also of our psychological independence - then how can we recover the peaceful self-sufficiency of life in the state of nature? We cannot return to a simpler time, but measuring the costs of progress may help us to imagine alternatives to the corruption and oppressive conformity of modern society.
Rousseau's sweeping account of humanity's social and political development epitomizes the innovative boldness of the Englightment, and it is one of the most provocative and influential works of the eighteenth century. This new translation includes all Rousseau's own notes, and Patrick Coleman's introduction builds on recent key scholarship, considering particularly the relationship between political and aesthetic thought.

About the Author: Franklin Philip is the prize-winning translator of numerous French texts. Patrick Coleman is the author of Rousseau's Political Imagination (1984).

Bibliographic Details

Title: Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication Date: 2009
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Brand New