Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was a pivotal thinker in the history of political philosophy, and in that of thought and literature more generally. Making major contributions in a variety of areas, he brought his political theory to bear on subjects such as the novel, music, education, and autobiography, amongst others.

Bringing together critical assessments of the broad range of Rousseau's thought, with a particular emphasis on his political theory, this important collection includes translations of a number of influential interpretations of Rousseau's work that were not previously available in English and were prepared especially for this set, such as those of Lanson, de Jouvenal, Weil, Wahl, and Baczko.

Organized thematically, and including an initial new introduction by the editor, as well as brief introductions to each individual volume, this systematic collection is undoubtedly an essential resource for a wide variety of students and scholars.