Talmon argued that Rousseau's position may best be understood as "totalitarian democracy", a philosophy in which liberty is realized "only in the pursuit and attainment of an absolute collective purpose."
Talmon sostén que a postura de Rousseau debe ser entendida coma un "totalitarismo democrático"; coma unha filosofía na que a liberdade se concreta "unicamente na procura e logro dun propósito absolutamente colectivo".