 |
| Replies |
 Ayesha (main path) |
 Dee |
Ayesha |
 Comment |
| Communitarianism |
| Ayesha
Speaking
|
 I
want to say more about the communitarian thinkers. I especially like
the philosopher Michael Sandel and law professor Mary Ann Glendon.Some philosophers speak of the individual as though he or she exists as a complete individual outside society and then makes choices about how to participate in society. Others, in what has been called the "communitarian" tradition, think of the individual as situated within and partially constituted by a set of relationships with other people. This can make a difference in how we understand individual rights. It leads to greater emphasis on the common good. There are different ideas of society and the individual involved here. Libertarians think of society as composed of separate individuals with a minimal set of commitments and obligations beyond those that they freely choose. Communitarians think of society as constituting individuals. Individuals are what they are because of their social context and they have certain values and obligations as a part of themselves that are simply given. Mary Ann Glendon discusses this view of people and their rights. She proposes that instead of an emphasis on individual rights, we develop "a fuller concept of human personhood and a more ecological way of thinking about social policy." (Rights Talk, p. 137). In her view, we should recognize responsibilities as well as rights. We should also pay more attention to maintaining the background conditions that allow individuals to "flourish." Some European countries recognize a "social dimension" of persons and the responsibilities this implies. They may, for example, recognize that some people are more dependent than liberal theorists allow. They also recognize broader welfare responsibilities for government and sometimes write those responsibilities into their constitutions. In the United States, we have not done this. The welfare responsibilities of our government are all statutory, not constitutional. Of course, our constitution is older than most others. |
| Ariadne's Home | Contact Ariadne at: | Justice Home |
| Justice Bibliography |  |
Justice Contents |
|
||