: Rousseau’s concept of alienation and the social bond influenced later thinkers like Karl Marx , though they used the terms differently. Purchase Options for the Text

: Unlike Hobbes, who saw the state of nature as "nasty, brutish, and short," Rousseau viewed it as a primitive state of natural freedom that became corrupted by society and the invention of private property. Impact and Legacy

: Scholars debate his work's legacy; some see it as a blueprint for totalitarianism (due to the absolute authority of the general will), while others view it as a primary source for modern democracy .

If you are looking for a physical or digital copy of the treatise, several editions are available from major retailers: Edition/Publisher Delivery/Availability (Maurice Cranston trans.) Target In stock; shipping available Penguin Classics (Maurice Cranston trans.) Walmart In stock; delivery available Standard Paperback Barnes & Noble In stock; next-day delivery options Wordsworth Editions Strand Book Store