* The General Will: This is not the sum of individual desires but rather the common good, what's best for the whole community. It's based on the shared interests and values of the people, aiming for the well-being of the entire body politic.
* Social Contract: The foundation of sovereign power lies in a social contract, where individuals voluntarily surrender their natural rights and freedoms in exchange for the protection and benefits of living in a society.
* Collective Will: The sovereign power is the embodiment of this collective will. It represents the common good, not the interests of any individual or group. It acts through laws and policies designed to promote the well-being of the whole society.
* Indivisible and Unalienable: The sovereign power cannot be divided, delegated, or alienated. It belongs to the people collectively and cannot be transferred to any individual or group.
Key Characteristics of Sovereign Power in Rousseau's Thought:
* Absolute: It is supreme and unconstrained by any external authority, including the individual.
* Inalienable: It cannot be transferred or surrendered.
* Indivisible: It cannot be divided or delegated.
* Based on the General Will: It is guided by the common good, not individual interests.
* Exercised through laws: It is expressed through legislation that reflects the general will.
Important Points:
* Not the same as government: The sovereign power is distinct from the government, which is responsible for implementing the sovereign's will.
* Legitimacy: The sovereign power is legitimate because it originates from the consent of the governed, through the social contract.
* Democracy: Rousseau's concept of sovereign power is central to his argument for a direct democracy, where the people directly participate in the decision-making process.
Rousseau's theory of sovereign power is complex and has been subject to various interpretations. However, it fundamentally emphasizes the collective will as the ultimate source of political authority and the importance of the general good in guiding political action.