Rousseau believed that power resided with the people because only they could form the “general will” — the collective interest that represents the true common good. By coming together in a social contract, individuals agree to relinquish some personal freedoms in exchange for a government that acts as an extension of their collective will. In his view, any legitimate political authority must reflect this consensual, shared decision-making; power is derived from the people’s mutual agreement, not from authority imposed by tradition, divine right, or any other external source.