UPSC Prelims 2017 · CSAT

Question 22: Reading Comprehension

Passage beginning ““The individual, according to Rousseau, puts…” — Passage—2 · as printed by UPSC

In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as

athe sum total of the private wills of the individuals

bwhat is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals

cthe collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals

dthe material interests of the community

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

In the passage, the individual places person and power under the General Will, and members are received as inseparable parts of the whole. So the General Will is a collective will standing above each individual's own will, aimed at the common good. It is not the sum of private wills, nor merely what representatives say, nor a material interest. Rousseau's own distinction: the will of all adds up private wills, while the general will aims at the common good.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) A sum of private wills is what Rousseau calls the will of all; here individuals submit to something above their private wills.
(b) Representatives are not mentioned; the individuals place themselves under the General Will directly.
(c) Correct: individuals submit to a collective authority and become parts of the whole, which stands apart from private wills.
(d) Material interests of the community are not mentioned.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.