Will and Political Rationality in Rousseau

Abstract

In his attempt to vindicate the notion of will in action and the notion of patriotism in political action, Rousseau succeeds in advancing a theory of political agency that contains the potential of an impressive justification of political commitment, as it also contains an ingenious analogue between willing in nature and willing in society. On the other hand, Rousseau's blurring of autonomy and paternalism together with his elevation of intrinsic reasons of sentiment over discursive reasons of interest call into question choice and discourse as modes of political action and the giving and probing of reasons as modes of political accountability. The article explores this paradox and suggests that Rousseau's attempted fusion of self-choosing and right-acting, and of legitimacy and viability in politics may similarly be bedevilled by his ambivalence over rationality in political willing.