Rousseau and the General Will
This video presents the same text shown beside it, spoken and on screen. It adds nothing the text does not say.
State
Rousseau: people are naturally good and corrupted by society; legitimate law expresses the general will—what citizens will together for the common good.
Show
His opening line: man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains—the contract must make the chains legitimate.
Watch for
The general will is not majority vote—a majority can will selfishly. That gap does heavy, disputed work.
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Unlocks
- Nothing yet depends on this.