First published 1755

A Discourse on Inequality

by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A Discourse on Inequality is Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Second Discourse, written for an Academy of Dijon competition and first published in Amsterdam by Marc-Michel Rey in 1755. It traces inequality to private property. The first English translation was printed in London for the Dodsleys in 1761.

Editions tracked
1
First published
Marc-Michel Rey, Amsterdam, 1755
First UK edition
R. and J. Dodsley, 1761
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Editions

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Editions recorded
9 on Open Library, 7 in English
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Articles in 20 languages

From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.

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We track 1 edition of A Discourse on Inequality. Each has its own page with how to identify it.

When was A Discourse on Inequality first published?

A Discourse on Inequality by Jean-Jacques Rousseau was first published in 1755.

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Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 23 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

More pictures

Frontispiece and title page of Rousseau's Discours sur l'inegalite, Amsterdam, Marc Michel Rey, 1755
Frontispiece and title page of the 1755 Amsterdam edition published by Marc Michel Rey.Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain