COMMON GOOD

Jean Jacques Rousseau,a french political scientist,in his work-"The Social Contract",described the common will and common good.
According to him each individual may have a particular will,which is different from the general will of the people.But,the particular will of each individual may be forced to submit to the general will because of the obligations that have been defined for all individuals by the terms of the social contract.The general will is not the sum of all individuals' private interests.Unlike the combined will of all individuals,the general will is concerned with the public interest rather than with private interests.
The general will always desires the common good,but it may not always choose correctly between what is advantantegous or disadvantageous for promoting social harmony and cooperation.BECAUSE IT MAY BE INFLUENCED BY PARTICULAR GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH PROMOTING THEIR OWN PRIVATE INTERESTS.
Rossseau was misinterpreted by some of the autocracts like-Hitler and Mussolini in Germany and Italy respectively,to justify their wrong-doings.But,what Rosseau had said,have still to interpret in its correct meaning and perspectives.
KESHAV(30017).