Statist claim: There is a Collective Will.

Fallacy:

It is asserted that "we all" create and enforce laws; that it is "the nation" or "society" that wills it, etc.

Response:

Rousseau-SocialContract

A group of people is just that—a group of people. There is no such thing as "collective will." Only individuals take action. The government is nothing more than a collection of people who hold a self-appointed monopoly on force. A nation is nothing more than a group of people who live in a geographic area and have a group of thugs telling them what to do. (DV)

One philosopher who fell for this fallacy was Jean-Jacques Rousseau with his notion of a general will.


Related: The State Is Us.