A Study On The General Will Theory Of Bernard Bosanquet

Bernard Bosanquet (1848-1923), British philosopher, political theorist, social reformer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, was especially a notable member of the British school of idealist philosophers . He developed Rousseau's theory of the "general will" and tried to explain the basis of political authority and the state. This article will make an full scan of Bosanquet's political theory of the "general will" and make a cirtical review.There are five chapters in this article:The first chapter: The British of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was a changing world. During this period, the state was required to make more interference in economy and social affairs by many scholars. Bosanquet was one of them. He was born in a wealth family and payed a lot attention to the poor people. He was only a political theorist but also a social reformer all his life. He was a student in Oxford University and then a teacher in his early time. During this period He was influenced by the idea of great British idealist Thomas Hill Green. He also became a main representative of British idealists in his later years. He was also once the chairman of the Charity Organisation Society, payed a lot attention to the reform of the Poor Law togerther with his wife Helen Dendy who was a leading figure in the Royal Commission on the Poor Law.The second chapter: We make a review of Rousseau's theory of the "general will" here. To Bosanquet's view, some liberalism theorist such as Benthami and Mill was confused by the "prima facie theories" and make contradictions between the state and the individual in their own theories. But to some extent Rousseau solve the contradictions. He argued that the choice of the individual will should be a rational will. The rational will is consistent with the general will.The third chapter: Bosanquet developed Rousseau's theory of the "general will". He distinguish the real will and the actual will of the individual. He argued that the real will of the individual is consistent with the general will. The state can reflect the general will which is just each individual's real will. As there are many obscurity and contradictions in Rousseau's theory of the "general will", we will also make an comparison between his theory and that of Bosanquet's.The fouth chapter: Although Bosanquet's theory was more developed than...