MENTAL MODEL · M4521

General Will

DecideHigh supportDecision Science

Included

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Unlike the "sum of the wills of all" (the will of all, which may simply be the aggregation of private interests), the general will refers to the will directed at the common interest, being fully rational and just.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

An ideal yardstick for collective decision-making. When voting in a team, are people expressing "what I want" (private interest/will of all) or "what is best for the team" (general will)? Confusing the two is the main reason for the failure of democratic decision-making.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Rousseau's general will is the total will of all members of a community based on the common interest, as opposed to the will of all (the simple sum of individual private wills). The general will is directed at the common good.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

Distinguish between the general will and the will of all
In public decision-making, adhere to the common interest
Be wary of passing off majority opinion as the general will.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

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Source support: Explicit

link
en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_willZH · Explicit
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