The Social Contract

The Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Right was first published in France in April 1762. As with Émile, The Social Contract was banned and burned in both Paris and Geneva due to its chapter called ‘ The Civil Religion’, which offended Protestant and Catholic authorities. Rousseau was distressed and appalled by the Genevan reaction to The Social Contract and Émile and he responded by renouncing his citizenship and writing two defences of his banned works.