ABSTRACT
In the West, we approach the question of individual rights with certain biases that may or may not be applicable in Russia. From our notion of contemporary liberal democracy we have a belief that the individual has a right to self-determination - a right deemed necessary because only by acting for oneself can one achieve a meaningful "self-consciousness." The key aspect of the traditional conflict between the individual and the community are the concepts of privacy and individual autonomy. There is a belief in a "right of privacy" that, while not enshrined in any nation's constitution, is deeply felt by Westerners. The "classic" and authoritative definitions come from Guillermo O'Donnell and Philippe C. Schmitter, who see the word, "liberal democracy," as an artificial hybrid. According to John Stuart Mill and many other liberals, Rousseau is saying that if a group of people refuse to accept what is in their own good, they could be compelled to accept it.
