Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an influential 18th-century philosopher, writer, and political theorist whose ideas had a profound impact on the French Revolution and modern political thought. His most famous works include "The Social Contract," which introduced the concept of the "general will" and argued for popular sovereignty, and "Emile," a treatise on education. Rousseau's philosophy emphasized the inherent goodness of human nature corrupted by society, and he advocated for a return to a more natural state through social reform and education.