“The first man, who, after enclosing a piece of ground, took it into his head to say, "This is mine," and found people simple enough to believe him, was the true founder of civil society.”

Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. He is best known for his political thought, which had a wide influence during the Age of Enlightenment and later in the French Revolution. Rousseau worked across philosophy, literature, and music, but his lasting reputation rests above all on the force of his political ideas. His writing helped shape debate in the eighteenth century, and his influence continued well beyond his own time.