Who decides what serves the common good when the majority and the individual disagree? I examine Jean-Jacques Rousseau's general will alongside John Locke's individualism and James Madison's concern about majority power. A promise to serve society can become a reason to suppress the rights of people who do not share its prevailing views.
But defending individualism requires more than rejecting collectivism. People who work must have a reasonable chance to support themselves. In this November 2023 essay, I connect the philosophical debate to wages, economic opportunity, and reliance on public assistance. I argue that protecting others' liberty protects our own, and that helping workers succeed can strengthen individual independence rather than undermine it.
Read the essay and sources: https://joelkdouglas.com/2023/11/21/jean-jacques-rousseau-collectivism/
