Single Idea 23418

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / a. Sovereignty]

Full Idea

For liberals the basis of state legitimacy is a shared sense of justice, not a shared conception of the good.

Gist of Idea

Liberal state legitimacy is based on a belief in justice, not in some conception of the good life

Source

Will Kymlicka (Community [1993], 'legitimacy')

Book Reference

'A Companion to Contemporary Political Phil', ed/tr. Goodin,R.E/Pettit,Philip [Blackwell 1995], p.375


A Reaction

For a liberal state to work, the citizens have to roughly believe in the core values of liberalism, which are primarily freedom and equality (and hence justice).