Social Contract Theorists

This reader introduces students of philosophy and politics to the contemporary critical literature on the classical social contract theorists: Thomas Hobbes (1599-1697), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). Twelve thoughtfully selected essays guide students through the texts, familiarizing them with key elements of the theory, while at the same time introducing them to current scholarly controversies. A bibliography of additional work is provided. The classical social contract theorists represent one of the two or three most important modern traditions in political thought. Their ideas dominated political debates in Europe and North America in the 17th and 18th centuries, influencing political thinkers, statesmen, constitution makers, revolutionaries, and other political actors alike. Debates during the French Revolution and the early history of the American Republic were often conducted in the language of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Later political philosophy can only be understood against this backdrop. And the contemporary revival of contractarian moral and political thought, represented by John Rawls' A Theory of Justice (1971) or David Gauthier's Morals by Agreement (1986), needs to be appreciated in the history of this tradition.

This rich collection will introduce students of philosophy and politics to the contemporary critical literature on the classical social contract political thinkers Thomas Hobbes (1599-1697), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). A dozen essays and book excerpts have been selected to guide students through the texts and to introduce them to current scholarly controversies surrounding the contractarian political theories of these three thinkers.

Booknews

Assembles critical essays thought by Morris (philosophy, Bowling Green State U.) to be accessible to students coming to these three theorists for the first time. Topics include Hobbes' war of all against all; the failure of Hobbe's social contract argument; Locke's state of nature; political consent; Locke's theory of the state; a possible explanation of Rousseau's general will; and Rousseau, the problem of sovereignty and the limits of political obligation. The selections are by recent (English-speaking) political theorists. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Christopher W. Morris is professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University in and the author of An Essay on the Modern State (Cambridge University Press).