Jean-Jacques Rousseau has 7 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 6 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.7★ across 9 ratings. The most-rated is The Social Contract.
The Social Contract
Summary
Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. In The Social Contract, Rousseau explores the concept of freedom and the political structures that may enable people to acquire it. He argues that the sovereign power of a state lies not in any one ruler but in the will of the general population. Rousseau argues that the ideal state would be a direct democracy where executive decision making is carried out by citizens who meet in assembly, as they would in the ancient city-state of Athens. The thoughts contained in the work were instrumental to the advent of the American Revolution and became sacred to those leading the French Revolution. With traces of Aristotle and echoes of Plato's Republic, The Social Contract is an exhilarating look at society and the definition of democracy. New translation by Ian Johnston.
Public Domain (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks
On the Social Contract
Summary
"Man was born free, but everywhere he is in chains." Thus begins Jean-Jacques Rousseau's influential 1762 work, On the Social Contract, a milestone of political science, and essential reading for students of history, philosophy, and social science. A progressive work, it inspired world-wide political reforms, most notably the American and French Revolutions, because it argued that monarchs were not divinely empowered to legislate. Rousseau asserts that only the people, in the form of the sovereign, have that all powerful right. On the Social Contract's appeal and influence has been wide-ranging and continuous. It has been called an encomium to democracy and, at the same time, a blueprint for totalitarianism. Individualists, collectivists, anarchists, and socialists have all taken courage from Rousseau's controversial masterpiece.
Public Domain (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Philosophie pour tous : 100 citations de Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Summary
L'homme est naturellement bon ; c'est la société qui le pervertit. On doit cette idée fondamentale à Jean-Jacques Rousseau, philosophe, initiateur du genre autobiographique avec les Confessions, penseur politique, écrivain romantique, et même compositeur d'opéra ; une figure majeure de l'âge des Lumières. Ces 100 citations ont été sélectionnées parmi ses œuvres majeures, entre autres : le Discours sur l'Inégalité, un des fondements de la pensée politique et sociale moderne ; le Contrat social ; la Nouvelle Héloïse, roman précurseur du mouvement romantique ; Émile ou de l'Éducation ; les Confessions, une des autobiographies les plus franches jamais écrites, ainsi que d'autres moins connues.
©Domaine public (P)2016 Compagnie du Savoir
Du Contrat social - ou Principes du droit politique
Summary
"Je veux chercher si, dans l'ordre civil, il peut y avoir quelque règle d'administration légitime et sûre, en prenant les hommes tels qu'ils sont, et les lois telles qu'elles peuvent être. Je tâcherai d'allier toujours, dans cette recherche, ce que le droit permet avec ce que l'intérêt prescrit, afin que la justice et l'utilité ne se trouvent point divisées. [...] On me demandera si je suis prince ou législateur pour écrire sur la politique. Je réponds que non, et que c'est pour cela que j'écris sur la politique. Si j'étais prince ou législateur, je ne perdrais pas mon temps à dire ce qu'il faut faire ; je le ferais, ou je me tairais." Inspiré par les écrits de Hobbes et de Montesquieu, ce petit traité aux principes atemporels, restitué dans toute sa force et sa clarté par la rigueur de diction d'Éric Herson-Macarel est un véritable bréviaire de citoyenneté. Étonnant de modernité, il devrait inspirer tous les citoyens soucieux du devenir de l'ensemble de la société humaine.
(P) et © Lyre Audio 2010
Discourse on the Origin and the Foundations of Inequality Among Men
Summary
Rousseau's Discourse sets out to explore the origin of inequality among people, a journey that sees him trace the evolution of humans from the savage man to the foundations of civil society. With verve and passion, the philosopher argues that the birth of private property was the "beginning of evil". Throughout the book we are led to consider the development of language, reason, self-preservation, benevolence, pity, and law - all through the lens of perhaps the most original thinker of the 18th century.
Public Domain (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks
Discourse on the Origin of Inequality
Summary
Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men by the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was originally written for an essay competition run by the Dijon Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1754. The question was, "What is the origin of inequality among men, and is it authorized by the natural law?" Rousseau's text is divided into four main parts: a dedication, preface, an extended inquiry into the nature of the individual, and another inquiry into the evolution of the human species within society. Rousseau discusses two types of inequality: natural inequality and moral inequality. Concerned with moral inequality, Rousseau contends that it is unique to civil society, is established by convention and is seen in differences in "wealth, nobility or rank, power and personal merit". Rousseau takes a cynical view of civil society, claiming that man has strayed from his "natural state" of individual independence and freedom to satisfy his individual needs and desires.
Public Domain (P)2020 Museum Audiobooks
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collection
Summary
A collection of inspiring political philosophy which helped define the Enlightenment. As one of the most influential philosophers and thinkers of the mid-18th century, Jean-Jacques Rousseau left behind a powerful and commanding legacy which helped shape great events including the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. His ideas on humanity, civil society, and democracy have made him a leading figure in modern political and philosophical thought. Exploring two of his most famous and influential works, this collection reveals Rousseau’s timeless insights and theories, offering listeners a unique glimpse into the past and the knowledge of a time long past. Inside this collection, you’ll discover: The Social Contract, which offers a powerful look at sovereignty and the right to govern, challenging the idea of Monarchy and inspiring sweeping reforms across Europe Discourse on the Origin and the Foundations of Inequality Among Men, a thought-provoking book which examines human nature, inequality, and the role of property in civil society No less inspirational and enlightening now than when they were first written, these books have solidified Jean-Jacques Rousseau as a central figure in the evolution of society and our endless march to a more free, fair, and democratic way of living. Scroll up, and buy now to discover the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau today.
©2020 Montgomery Providence Publishing (P)2021 Montgomery Providence Publishing