Jean-Jacques Rousseau's concept of the "general will" refers to the collective will of the citizens of a society that aims for the common good, transcending individual interests. Therefore, the best answer among the options you provided would be:
b the political preferences of the public
However, it's important to note that Rousseau's idea of the general will is more about the common good than just the simple aggregation of individual preferences. It represents what is best for the society as a whole.