In "The Social Contract" Rousseau stresses the connection between liberty and law, freedom and justice. Arguing that the ruler is the people's agent, not its master, he claimed that laws derived from the people's general will. Yet in preaching subservience to the impersonal state he came close to defining freedom as the recognition of necessity. Rousseau's powerful treatise expresses views on the rights, liberty and equality of all people. It remains a classic of political theory and one of the most influential works of abstract political thought in the Western tradition. In this age of twenty-four hour news and information saturation, it is more important than ever to not only question, but to also think critically about what we read every day. To that end, Gateway proudly introduces "The Skeptical Reader Series". This series will take a discerning look at the original texts of some of the most infamous, yet widely-taught, texts in modern academia. Kicking off the series will be "The Communist Manifesto", followed by "Das Kapital", "The State and Revolution", "Leviathan" and "The Social Contract". Each volume will be introduced by an essay from a prominent scholar who will offer a skeptical critique of the author's arguments and assertions. "The Skeptical Reader Series" is perfect for academia, as well as for anyone who relishes a politically incorrect point of view.