The Difference of “Will of All” and the “General Will” Concepts According to Rousseau

Will of All and the General Will
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Will of All and the General Will
Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a common figure in political philosophy courtesy of the philosophical ideas attributed to him. The will of all and the general will, which Rousseau went an extra mile to distinguish, are two major contrasting political concepts applicable even in modern politics. According to the political philosopher, the general will is a phrase used to describe that which is aimed at bringing the greater good as opposed to benefiting individuals. On the other hand, the will of all functions to serve the interests of the individuals and aggregates the wills of every individual (Rousseau, 2010). In general terms, the distinguishing factor between the two concepts is that the general will can be viewed as the ability of the people to express themselves as sovereign powers, whereas the will of all is the expression of freedom in a capacity of an independent citizen. The difference between the two concepts can further be comprehended based on their application in the political context.
A scenario that is state-sponsored and another that is it is purely based on the deliberation by the members of the public can help distinguish the two concepts further. When the members of the public are concerned about their capacity without the influence of other external forces on a matter that is of concern to the larger population, then the decision made will become the general will and is often aimed at being good to all the members of the population. On the other hand, in a scenario where there is influence from ex...