yleissubjektien

Yleissubjektien, also known as general will in English, is a concept in philosophy that refers to the collective will of a group of people. The term was first introduced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his 1762 book "Du Contrat Social" (The Social Contract).

According to Rousseau, the general will is a fundamental aspect of democracy, where the collective will of the people supersedes the individual wills of individuals. He argued that when people come together to form a general will, they transcend their personal interests and desires, and instead come to a collective agreement that is in the best interest of the group as a whole.

The general will is distinct from the volonté générale, which is the will of the majority. Rousseau noted that the general will may or may not coincide with the majority will, and that true democracy requires the expression of the general will, rather than the will of the majority.

Rousseau's concept of the general will has had a significant impact on modern democratic theory and practice. In particular, it has influenced the development of participatory democracy, where the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process is seen as a key aspect of democratic governance.

The idea of the general will has also been the subject of ongoing debate and critique, with some arguing that it is an unrealistic or even utopian concept. Nonetheless, it remains an important concept in the history of democratic thought, and its influence can still be seen in contemporary discussions of democracy and governance.