Single Idea 21114

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 7. Communitarianism / a. Communitarianism]

Full Idea

Communitarians say that liberalism treats individuals as strangers to one another, and underestimates the extent to which individuals are 'constituted' by their societies and social memberships.

Gist of Idea

Liberals treat individuals as mutual strangers, rather than as social beings

Source

Andrew Shorten (Contemporary Political Theory [2016], 01)

Book Reference

Shorten,Andrew: 'Contemporary Political Theory' [Palgrave 2016], p.8


A Reaction

On the other hand you can have 'too much community'. Surely the test for any political system is the quality of lives led by individual citizens? There can never be a wonderful community full of miserable citizens.