Book II, Chapter III: Whether The General Will Can Err
Ir follows® from what precedes that the general will is always right_and always tends to the public advantage ; but it does not follow that the resolutions of the people have always the same rectitude. Men always desire their own good, but do not always discern it; the people are never corrupted, though often deceived, and it is only then that they seem to will what is evil.
There is often a great deal of difference between the will of all and the general will ; the latter regards only the common interest, while the former has regard to private interests, and is merely a sum of particular wills ; but take away from these same wills the pluses and minuses which cancel? one another, and the general will remains as the sum of the differences.
If the people came to a resolution when adequately informed and without any communication among the citizens, the general will would always result from the great number of slight differences, and the resolution would always be good. But when factions, partial associations, are formed to the detriment of the whole society, the will of each of these associations becomes general with reference to its members, and particular with reference to the State ; it may then be said that there are no longer as many voters as there are men, but only as many voters as there are associations. The differences become less numerous and yield a less general result. Lastly, when one of these associations becomes so great that it predominates over all the rest, you no longer have as the result a sum of small differences, but a single
difference ; there is then no longer a general will, and the opinion which prevails is only a particular opinion.
It is important, then, in order to have a clear declaration of the general will, that there should be no partial association in the State, and that every citizen should express only his own opinion. Such was the unique and sublime institution of the great Lycurgus.? But if there are partial associations, it is necessary to multiply their number and prevent inequality, as Solon, Numa, and Servius did. These are the only proper precautions for ensuring that the general will may always be enlightened, and that the people may not be deceived.