: This controversial phrase suggests that anyone refusing to obey the general will must be compelled by the body politic to do so, as the law itself is an expression of their own civil liberty.
: This is the collective interest of all citizens, distinct from the mere sum of their individual desires. Rousseau argues that by submitting to the general will, an individual obeys only themselves and remains free. Jean Jacques Rousseau The Social Contract
: Sovereignty belongs to the whole population, not a monarch. Rousseau rejected the "divine right" of kings, asserting that legitimate authority rests solely on the consent of the governed. : This controversial phrase suggests that anyone refusing
If you are looking for a physical or digital copy of the treatise, several editions are available from major retailers: Edition/Publisher Delivery/Availability (Maurice Cranston trans.) Target In stock; shipping available Penguin Classics (Maurice Cranston trans.) Walmart In stock; delivery available Standard Paperback Barnes & Noble In stock; next-day delivery options Wordsworth Editions Strand Book Store : Sovereignty belongs to the whole population, not a monarch