Rousseau's Social Contract is one of the most famous books in political philosophy. It has inspired and influenced moral and political thought since publication and is widely studied for this reason. This guide takes a thematic look at the text, discussing and examining ideas in the context of the time and their implications for future philosophical and political thought. It assesses Rousseau's life and the background of the Social Contract, the ideas that arise in the text and the continuing relevance of Rousseau's work to contemporary philosophy.