Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Social Contract, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Human Freedom and Society
Sovereignty, Citizenship, and Direct Democracy
Government and the Separation of Powers
National Longevity and Moral Virtue
Summary
Analysis
Rousseau explains that he must clearly define “government” before he starts comparing different kinds of government.
In Book 1, Rousseau explained what makes a state legitimate: it must be founded on a social contract among equals that preserves everyone’s freedom by converting individuals into a community. In Book 2, he explained how such a state can legitimately govern itself: it must allow citizens to exercise sovereignty as a collective, which means passing (but not implementing) laws. Now, in Book 3, he looks at what it actually takes to implement laws, which is the purpose of the institution he calls “government.”
Themes
