Rousseau: Social Contract Solved a ‘fundamental Problem’

Rousseau claims in The Social Contract to have solved a ‘fundamental problem’ (Book 1, iv). What is the problem, and does introducing the notion of the general will allow him to solve it?

“Find a form of association which will defend and protect with the whole of it’s joint strength the person and property of each associate and under which each of them, uniting himself to all, will obey himself alone and remain free as before.” (Rousseau the Social Contract Page 54)

The fundamental problem is to find or develop a society that will defend and protect the individual while affording him as much natural freedom as possible, and while he is enjoying these benefits he is willing to allow others in the society to also enjoy these benefits. In fact not only allowing, but also joining together and protecting one another’s rights and freedoms. So an individual will be bound to stand up not just for himself but for every individual within the society while at the same time he will be as free as he possibly can be within the constraints of society which is an unnatural construct unlike the state of nature where man is most free. Rousseau believes that in the state of nature we act on our appetites…(our basic needs/drives). In Society we must alter our behaviour to act with the faculty of reason.

This is Rousseau’s remit for making a social contract of worth. He introduces the notion of the general will as a way forward in developing a just state based on the idea of equality. The general will is there to preserve the interests of the individual while ensuring that the society is a strong and just society, and for Rousseau Justice and utility are not separate. To have a happy state you have to have a state based on the principles of Justice for all. In Rousseau’s society everyone would have a say in what is the best way forward for that society (this is the general will) everyone is expected to participate. Rousseau suggests that everyone has a vote to decide on the best way forward, he believes that no one would wish for unjust laws to be passed that would affect them so since everyone in his sort of society would be willing to subject themselves to the laws of that society they would not (logically) pass unjust or unfair laws. In a Rousseau-ian society there would be no one above the law and it would be the people who decide the laws (because they are all sovereign that is why it is important that everyone participates) there would be a Government that would apply the laws but it could not make the laws. Only the sovereign body (the people) do this.