“The law is the expression of the general will.”Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Contractul social · 1762 · Book I, Chapter 6
The legitimacy of law derives from the common agreement of citizens for the general good.
Rousseau defines law as an instrument of popular sovereignty. A legitimate law is not imposed by a monarch or elite but arises from citizens' common agreement on the common good. For example, a referendum on a major issue expresses this general will, unlike a decision made by a small group.
Why it matters It reminds us that genuine democracy requires civic participation and laws that serve everyone, not just privileged groups.