Obeying law while remaining free
Examine general will, majority, and government as distinct concepts.
An original introduction. This guide accompanies the work; it is neither the complete text nor a translation.
State the problem
Begin at I.6: what association could protect each person without surrendering freedom to a master? Keep this requirement as a reading criterion.
Test generality
General law concerns shared categories. Ask whether a decision targeting a particular person counts as sovereignty in the same sense.
Distinguish powers
The sovereign people establishes law; government executes it. Identify why Rousseau fears the latter might usurp the former.
An idea to keep.
Political freedom requires participation and law that does not disguise a private interest.
Your turn to think.
- Is a majority enough to express common interest?
- Which economic dependencies compromise free decisions?
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