Underneathalllegitimateauthorityhisconsentorhisvotemustbeapparent，while，inthehumblestcitizen，themostexaltedofpublicpowersmustrecognizeamemberoftheirownsovereignty。Noonemayalienateorlosethisportionofhissovereignty；itisinseparablefromhisperson，and，ondelegatingittoanother，hereservestohimselffullpossessionofit。—Theliberty，equalityandsovereigntyofthepeopleconstitutethefirstarticlesofthesocialcontract。
Thesearerigorouslydeducedfromaprimarydefinition；otherrightsofthecitizenaretobenolessrigorouslydeducedfromit，themainfeaturesoftheconstitution，themostimportantcivilandpoliticallaws，inshort，theorder，theformandthespiritofthenewstate。
II。NAIVECONVICTIONS
Thefirstresult。—Thetheoryeasilyapplied。—Confidenceinitduetobeliefinman’sinherentgoodnessandreasonableness。
Hence，twoconsequences。—Inthefirstplace，asocietythusorganizedistheonlyjustone；for，thereverseofallothers，itisnottheresultofablindsubjectiontotraditions，butofacontractconcludedamongequals，examinedinopendaylight，andassentedtoinfullfreedom。[5]Thesocialcontract，composedofdemonstratedtheorems，hastheauthorityofgeometry；henceanequalvalueatalltimes，ineveryplace，andforeverypeople；itisaccordinglyrightfullyestablished。Thosewhoputanobstacleinitswayareenemiesofthehumanrace；whetheragovernment，anaristocracyoraclergy，theymustbeoverthrown。Revoltissimplyjustdefense；inwithdrawingourselvesfromtheirhandsweonlyrecoverwhatiswrongfullyheldandwhichlegitimatelybelongstous。—Inthesecondplace，thissocialcode，asjustsetforth，oncepromulgated，isapplicablewithoutmisconceptionorresistance；foritisaspeciesofmoralgeometry，simplerthananyother，reducedtofirstprinciples，foundedontheclearestandmostpopularnotions，and，infoursteps，leadingtocapitaltruths。Thecomprehensionandapplicationofthesetruthsdemandnopreparatorystudyorprofoundreflection；Reasonisenough，andevencommonsense。Prejudiceandselfishnessalonemightimpairthetestimony；butneverwilltestimonybewantinginasoundbrainandinanuprightheart。Explaintherightsofmantoalaborerortoapeasantandatoncehebecomesanablepolitician；teachchildrenthecitizen’scatechismand，onleavingschool，theycomprehenddutiesandrightsaswellasthefourfundamentalprinciples。—Thereuponhopespreadsherwingstothefullestextent，allobstaclesseemremoved。Itisadmittedthat，ofitself，andthroughitsownforce，thetheoryengendersitsownapplication，andthatitsufficesformentodecreeoracceptthesocialcompacttoacquiresuddenlybythisactthecapacityforcomprehendingitandthedispositiontocarryitout。