PHILOS 1B03 Lecture 8: Week 6: Lecture 2 (#8)
27 Feb 2017
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The general will: the legitimate authority of the state derived from the collection of all individual wills not merely the common interest", but the will of each individual taken collectively. A) each individual should be directly consulted on matters of public legislation, B) each should express her own will, C) the sum of particular wills" decides legislation. In reality: individuals are inclined to form partial associations" (viz. groups both reflecting and informing opinions and prejudices of the like-minded" individuals) Partial associations divide the general will into sub-classes of general wills. Individuals no longer vote according to their own opinion, but the opinion of the association to which they belong. The result: democracy, though theoretically possible, is practically impossible. Were there a people of gods, their government would be democratic. So perfect a government is not for men. " (p. 97) Negative freedom: freedom from external constraints in relation to the right to pursue one"s own harmless ends.
