Interesul general şi relevanţa acestuia
The general interest and its relevance

Summary/Abstract: State interventions to protect citizens from physical dangers created by others, to manage and prevent the spread of infectious diseases etc. are seen as being in the “general interest”. These actions are considered a normal function of any modern democratic state. Each individual and social group has its own understanding of the “public interest”, very different from others. Refusal to debate undermines democracy because people who cannot express themselves freely cannot think clearly. No democratic society can survive for long if opponents of ideas are treated like heretics in the Middle Ages or class enemies in communism. Many conflicting interpretations and conceptions of this seductive political slogan have evolved over time. They range from absolute platitudes and meaningless clichés to naive philosophical arguments. The political ideal of placing the mystical model of the “common good” or “general interest” above any individual action is as old as the state and has been discussed every time the question of new regulations has been raised. It seems logical that a government programme which declares that it seeks to achieve the “general interest” should contain a clear definition of this ambiguous term. In reality, clarity is not a concern for the authors of government programmes, who frequently use this slogan to justify various policy proposals or actions. In the absence of a clear, objective definition, such as “general interest”, general formulas remain, meaningless and insufficient to draw up a concrete plan, even if it is accepted that the necessary means of action exist.

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