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Single Idea 19797

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / d. General will ]

Full Idea

To avoid the general compact being an empty formula, it tacitly entails the commitment that whoever refuses to obey the general will will be forced to do so by the entire body. This means merely that he will be forced to be free.

Gist of Idea

Citizens must ultimately for forced to accept the general will (so freedom is compulsory!)

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], I.7)

Book Ref

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.150

A Reaction

Rousseau obviously enjoyed this paradox (which sounds like US foreign policy). Apart from anarchism, any political system will need a bit of force to back it up. Should democratic voting becoming compulsory, if the turnout declines too far?

The 33 ideas with the same theme [consensus among citizens that justifies a state]:

2832 The state aims to consist as far as possible of those who are like and equal [Aristotle]
13315 To govern used to mean to serve, not to rule; rulers did not test their powers over those who bestowed it [Seneca]
19910 A single will creates the legislature, which is duty-bound to preserve that will [Locke]
7239 The social pact is the total subjection of individuals to the general will [Rousseau]
19793 We need a protective association which unites forces, but retains individual freedom [Rousseau]
7240 To foreign powers a state is seen as a simple individual [Rousseau]
19795 The act of association commits citizens to the state, and the state to its citizens [Rousseau]
19796 Individual citizens still retain a private will, which may be contrary to the general will [Rousseau]
19797 Citizens must ultimately for forced to accept the general will (so freedom is compulsory!) [Rousseau]
7244 The general will is common interest; the will of all is the sum of individual desires [Rousseau]
19802 The general will is always right, but the will of all can err, because it includes private interests [Rousseau]
19803 If the state contains associations there are fewer opinions, undermining the general will [Rousseau]
19804 If a large knowledgeable population votes in isolation, their many choices will have good results [Rousseau]
19808 The general will changes its nature when it focuses on particulars [Rousseau]
7246 The general will is always good, but sometimes misunderstood [Rousseau]
7250 Laws are authentic acts of the general will [Rousseau]
19844 Assemblies must always confirm the form of government, and the current administration [Rousseau]
19846 The more unanimous the assembly, the stronger the general will becomes [Rousseau]
21079 The a priori general will of a people shows what is right [Kant]
21070 A law is unjust if the whole people could not possibly agree to it [Kant]
19856 The law expresses the general will, and all citizens can participate [Mirabeau/committee]
3778 The community's interest is a sum of individual interests [Bentham]
22794 A fully developed state is conscious and knows what it wills [Hegel]
22799 The people do not have the ability to know the general will [Hegel]
22801 The great man of the ages is the one who reveals and accomplishes the will of his time [Hegel]
7210 The will of the people is that of the largest or most active part of the people [Mill]
22001 The real will of the cooperative will replace the 'will of the people' [Marx]
23045 Politics is compromises, which seem supported by a social contract, but express the will of no one [Green,TH]
20935 Eventually political parties lose touch with the class they represent, which is dangerous [Gramsci]
20500 We can see the 'general will' as what is in the general interest [Wolff,J]
20090 Today it seems almost impossible to learn the will of the people [Reybrouck]
20087 There are no united monolothic 'peoples', and no 'national gut feelings' [Reybrouck]
22594 In 1794 France all individual and legal rights were suppressed by the general will [Dunt]