What did Jean-Jacques Rousseau mean by the “general will”?(1 point)
a. the decisions of the legislature
b. the inalienable rights of individuals
c. the political preference of the public
d. the desires of the king
c. the political preference of the public
c. the political preference of the public
To understand what Jean-Jacques Rousseau meant by the "general will," we can analyze his political philosophy as outlined in his influential work "The Social Contract."
According to Rousseau, the general will refers to the collective desires and preferences of the citizens within a society. It represents the common good or the best interests of the community as a whole, rather than the desires of any particular individual or group. Rousseau believed that in a truly democratic society, decisions should be made in accordance with the general will.
Rousseau distinguished the general will from the will of all or the will of the majority. The will of all refers to the mere aggregation of individual preferences, which may not necessarily align with what is truly beneficial for society. Similarly, the will of the majority may not always reflect the general will, as it could potentially disregard the interests and rights of the minority.
In Rousseau's view, the general will is legitimate and should guide political decision-making. It is not to be confused with the whims or desires of the ruling monarch (option d), the political preference of the public (option c), or the decisions of the legislature (option a) alone. Instead, it represents an idealized concept of shared values and common goals that contribute to the welfare and functioning of a just society. With this understanding, the correct answer is b. the inalienable rights of individuals.