The Social Contract - Paperbackby Jean Jacques Rousseau (Author) The Social Contract, originally published as On the Social Contract; or, Principles of Political Right (French: Du contrat social; ou Principes du droit politique) is a 1762 French language book by the Genevan philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau. Arguing that all government is fundamentally flawed, and that modern society is based on a system that fosters inequality and servitude, Rousseau demands nothing less than a