The author of the influential text "The Social Contract" is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Published in 1762, this political treatise explores the idea of a legitimate state founded on the collective will of the people. Rousseau argues that individuals enter into a social contract, surrendering certain freedoms in exchange for mutual protection and the benefits of a governed society. His work challenges the traditional notions of political authority and suggests that sovereignty belongs to the populace rather than monarchs. "The Social Contract" greatly influenced modern political thought, especially concepts of democracy and civil rights, and contributed to revolutionary ideas in the 18th and 19th centuries.