According to Rousseau, the general will is a collectively held will that aims at common good or common interest. People sharing common interest will make a better community, state and nation. He argues that by giving up individual rights and interests, people will comply with the general will. In addition, Rousseau says, that people should build a community to which they completely devote or surrender themselves “What these different interests have in common is what forms the social bond, and if there were not some point on which all interests agree, no society could exist.” (p 57).
He says that general will demands obedience of everyone. Each individual is totally dependent on each other for all aspects of their lives and no one can do anything without the agreement of everyone.
In short, Rousseau stresses that general will is the supreme good and just for all. In such state, people are incapable of making mistakes and would not violate any laws. “each of us put his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole”(p.392). …show more content…
In order to have a peaceful, and prosperous society or community, the laws of that society should be based on the interests and will of the majority of the citizens. His idea of general will is very similar to the ideology of democracy, where every individual interests are considered and the interests of majority rules. However I also believe that the idea of general will, would not be established in today’s world because each individual in each country around the world has different interests and it will very difficult nowadays to live within a society which shares a general will because in Rousseau’s general will, all the power, rights and interests of each individual are controlled and directed by community
He says that general will demands obedience of everyone. Each individual is totally dependent on each other for all aspects of their lives and no one can do anything without the agreement of everyone.
In short, Rousseau stresses that general will is the supreme good and just for all. In such state, people are incapable of making mistakes and would not violate any laws. “each of us put his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole”(p.392). …show more content…
In order to have a peaceful, and prosperous society or community, the laws of that society should be based on the interests and will of the majority of the citizens. His idea of general will is very similar to the ideology of democracy, where every individual interests are considered and the interests of majority rules. However I also believe that the idea of general will, would not be established in today’s world because each individual in each country around the world has different interests and it will very difficult nowadays to live within a society which shares a general will because in Rousseau’s general will, all the power, rights and interests of each individual are controlled and directed by community