Hegel and the ontological critique of liberalism
By: KAUFMAN, Alexander
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ArticlePublisher: New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, December 1997American Political Science Review 91, 4, p. 807-818Abstract: Is some form of identification with ethical norms and institutions a necessary condition of viable social life? If so, what form of identification is required? Contemporary communitarian theory argues for a particular form, which I will call strong identification. Because liberalism is unable to ground strong identification, communitarians suggest, it offers a flawed conception of ethical life. I will argue that, while some form of identification may in fact be necessary to ground viable social life, communitarian arguments requiring strong identification are unfaithful to the Hegelian insights which motivate communitarian thought.
Is some form of identification with ethical norms and institutions a necessary condition of viable social life? If so, what form of identification is required? Contemporary communitarian theory argues for a particular form, which I will call strong identification. Because liberalism is unable to ground strong identification, communitarians suggest, it offers a flawed conception of ethical life. I will argue that, while some form of identification may in fact be necessary to ground viable social life, communitarian arguments requiring strong identification are unfaithful to the Hegelian insights which motivate communitarian thought.
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