The author of the influential work "The Social Contract" was Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a prominent Enlightenment philosopher. Published in 1762, the book explores the concept of political legitimacy and the basis of political authority. Rousseau argued that legitimate political authority arises from a social contract agreed upon by the governed, emphasizing the collective will of the people, or the "general will." His ideas significantly influenced democratic thought and revolutionary movements, promoting notions of individual liberty, equality, and the idea that government should be accountable to the people. Rousseau's work remains foundational in political philosophy and social theory.