Full Idea
The laws are nothing other than the authentic acts of the general will.
Gist of Idea
Laws are authentic acts of the general will
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], III.12)
Book Reference
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.195
A Reaction
I wonder how you tell whether an act of the general will is 'authentic'? Nevertheless, in a modern democracy there seems a lot of truth in it; when controversial legislation is in the offing, governments have to be very attentive to the people.