Rousseau’s general-will system inevitably yields totalitarianism

Evidence

The State would have to prohibit churches (except a State Church), political parties, tradeunions, and all other organizations of men with similar economic interests. The result is obviously the Corporate or Totalitarian State, in which the individual citizen is powerless. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2535

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2535
• XREF: connects to: Liberal ideas evolved into totalitarianism through logical stages governed by external circumstances and emotions. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2337; Totalitarianism concentrates state powers in ways traditional despotism could not — Anthony Giddens, The Consequences of Modernity, 31; An ultimate power to decide generates its own norms and cannot be trusted (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• An ultimate power to decide generates its own norms and cannot be trusted #corroborates (0.75)
• Absolute monarchy actualizes rather than contradicts social-pattern theory #corroborates (0.72) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 669