who wrote the social contract

The Social Contract was written by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1762. It is a major work of political philosophy in which Rousseau theorizes about establishing legitimate authority in a political community compatible with individual freedom. The book argues against the divine right of monarchs, asserting that only the general will of the people has the right to legislate. Rousseau's ideas strongly influenced the French Revolution and the development of modern political thought.