... people can be forced in relation to acts that can ultimately endanger the state of freedom. The example used would be a person experiencing drug addiction. To subsequently prevent someone from continuing this dangerous addiction would in essence be 'forcing' freedom. Rousseau is saying that a person's free acts can also lead to acts that would be considered not free, and destructive to the state of freedom. Rousseau feels that in order for people to be free, they have a responsibility to follow the general will. The general will, Rousseau states, should be decided by all people. His idea abstractly holds the assumption that there will always be some situation and policies that serve the common good of society, and he quite clearly mistrusts the idea of any separate political collective, which could jeopardize the allegiance to the general will. However, Rousseau's central argument remains, that the conservation of equality ...

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