In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as
- (a) the sum total of the private wills of the individuals
- (b) what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals
- (c) the collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) the material interests of the community
Why the answer is (c)
• The passage states that individuals put their person and power in common under the 'supreme direction of the General Will'.
• It further describes the corporate capacity as receiving each member as an 'indivisible part of the whole', implying a unified collective entity rather than a mere aggregation.
• Rousseau's concept of the General Will distinguishes between the 'will of all' (sum of private interests) and the 'General Will' (common good).
• The phrase 'supreme direction' and 'indivisible part' indicates that the General Will transcends individual private wills to focus on the collective interest.
• Therefore, the General Will is best described as the collective good, which is distinct from and superior to the private wills of individuals.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) the sum total of the private wills of the individuals
- The General Will is not the sum total of private wills, which Rousseau terms the 'will of all'.
- (b) what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals
- The General Will is a moral and political concept of the sovereign people, not merely the articulation by elected representatives.
- (d) the material interests of the community
- The General Will focuses on the moral and political common good, not specifically on material interests.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2017, held on 18 June 2017. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.