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Single Idea 23416

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 2. Political equality ]

Full Idea

Habermas thinks political deliberation is required precisely because in its absence people will tend to accept existing practices as given, and thereby perpetuate false needs.

Gist of Idea

Political involvement is needed, to challenge existing practices

Source

report of Jürgen Habermas (The Theory of Communicative Action [1981]) by Will Kymlicka - Community 'need'

Book Ref

'A Companion to Contemporary Political Phil', ed/tr. Goodin,R.E/Pettit,Philip [Blackwell 1995], p.373


A Reaction

If the dream is healthy and intelligent progress, it is not clear where that should come from. The problem with state involvement in the authority and power of the state. Locals are often prejudiced, so the intermediate level may be best.


The 16 ideas with the same theme [equality of involvement in running society]:

It is dreadful to neither give a share nor receive a share [Aristotle]
Faction is for inferiors to be equal, and equals to become superior [Aristotle]
The Heraeans replaced election with lot, to thwart campaigning [Aristotle]
Democracy is corrupted by lack of equality, or by extreme equality (between rulers and ruled) [Montesquieu]
All citizens are eligible for roles in the state, purely on the basis of merit [Mirabeau/committee]
Equality can only be established by equal rights for all (or no rights for anyone) [Tocqueville]
In modern society virtue is 'equal rights', but only because everyone is zero, so it is a sum of zeroes [Nietzsche]
Perfect political equality requires economic equality [Gramsci]
Political involvement is needed, to challenge existing practices [Habermas, by Kymlicka]
Democracy is opposed to equality, if the poor are not a majority [Nagel]
Equality nowadays is seen as political, social, legal and economic [Nagel]
Equality can either be defended as good for society, or as good for individual rights [Nagel]
Complex equality restricts equalities from spilling over, like money influencing politics and law [Walzer, by Tuckness/Wolf]
Equal opportunities seems fair, because your fate is from your choices, not your circumstances [Kymlicka]
Equal opportunity arbitrarily worries about social circumstances, but ignores talents [Kymlicka]
Political equality is not much use without social equality [Wolff,J]