Commentary

• Popular Sovereignty but Representative Government: The Other Rousseau

  - Frank Marini, “Popular sovereignty but representative government: the other Rousseau”, Midwest Journal of Political Science, Vol. 11, No. 4, (1967), pp. 451-70
  Excerpt: In recent years a debate over the status of classical theories of democracy seems to be shaping up. If classical theories of democracy are in for increased discussion and debate, Rousseau’s name almost certainly will figure prominently in the… More

• The Evolution of Rousseau’s View of Representative Government

  - Richard Fralin, “The evolution of Rousseau’s view of representative government”, Political Theory, Vol. 6, No. 4, (1978), pp. 517-36.
  Excerpt: Rousseau’s intense opposition to representative  government  in the Contrat  social is one of  the  most  distinctive  features  of  his political  thought.  None of  the  leading  political  thinkers  among  his … More

• Rousseau and Representation

  - Richard Fralin, Rousseau and Representation (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978).
  From the publisher: In an illuminating and detailed study on Rousseau and Representation, Richard Fralin argues that Rousseau’s commitment to democratic principles and politics is not as strong as it appears on the surface of the Social Contract.  Fralin… More

• Rousseau: The Turning Point

  - Allan Bloom, “Rousseau: The Turning Point”, in Confronting the Constitution: the challenge to Locke, Montesquieu, Jefferson, and theFederalists from utilitarianism, historicism, Marxism, Freudianism, pragmatism, existentialism..., edited by Allan Bloom and Steven Kautz. (Washington, DC: AEI Press Volume 496, 1990).
  From the publisher: The 17 essays in this volume examine first the precepts of the Founding Fathers and their mentors. Then the most significant preconstitutional ideas are outlined, together with analyses of how they harmonize with the Constitution and how… More

• The Force of Freedom: Rousseau on Forcing to be Free

  - Steven G. Affeldt, “The force of freedom: Rousseau on forcing to be free”, Political Theory, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Jun., 1999), pp. 299-333.
  Excerpt: In this article I develop an interpretation  of the point and nature  of this  engagement of the social compact. While my concerns are in the first  instance  exegetical, I am also more generally  concerned  to address,  through … More