Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17) Lyrics by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Social Contract

0

The Institution of Government
UNDER what general idea then should the act by which government is instituted be conceived as falling? I will begin by stating that the act is complex, as being composed of two others — the establishment of the law and its execution.
By the former, the Sovereign decrees that there shall be a governing body established in this or that form; this act is clearly a law.
By the latter, the people nominates the rulers who are to be entrusted with the government that has been established. This nomination, being a particular act, is clearly not a second law, but merely a consequence of the first and a function of government.
The difficulty is to understand how there can be a governmental act before government exists, and how the people, which is only Sovereign or subject, can, under certain circumstances, become a prince or magistrate.
It is at this point that there is revealed one of the astonishing properties of the body politic, by means of which it reconciles apparently contradictory operations; for this is accomplished by a sudden conversion of Sovereignty into democracy, so that, without sensible change, and merely by virtue of a new relation of all to all, the citizens become magistrates and pass from general to particular acts, from legislation to the execution of the law.
This changed relation is no speculative subtlety without instances in practice: it happens every day in the English Parliament, where, on certain occasions, the Lower House resolves itself into Grand Committee, for the better discussion of affairs, and thus, from being at one moment a sovereign court, becomes at the next a mere commission; so that subsequently it reports to itself, as House of Commons, the result of its proceedings in Grand Committee, and debates over again under one name what it has already settled under another.
It is, indeed, the peculiar advantage of democratic government that it can be established in actuality by a simple act of the general will. Subsequently, this provisional government remains in power, if this form is adopted, or else establishes in the name of the Sovereign the government that is prescribed by law; and thus the whole proceeding is regular. It is impossible to set up government in any other manner legitimately and in accordance with the principles so far laid down.
Credits
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

About “The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Read the complete lyrics to "The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)" by Jean-Jacques Rousseau from the album "The Social Contract". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Philosophy, Literature.

"The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)" is performed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. from the album "The Social Contract" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)", explore more songs by Jean-Jacques Rousseau using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)" is credited to Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Social Contract (Chap. 3.17)" appears on "The Social Contract".

Visit the Jean-Jacques Rousseau artist page at /artist/jean-jacques-rousseau for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.