Liberalism vs Communitarianism: Differences Explained
Liberalism and communitarianism offer two different answers to a basic political question: should society be organised mainly to protect individual freedom , or to protect shared values and social cohesion ? What is liberalism? Liberalism puts the individual first. It argues that each person has equal moral worth and should be free to choose their beliefs, goals, and way of life. Because people disagree about religion, morality, and their ideas about “the good life”, liberalism supports a political system that protects rights, liberties, and fair rules rather than enforcing one shared moral doctrine. In practice, liberalism is closely linked to constitutional democracy, equal legal rights, freedom of speech and religion, and limits on state power. The state is mainly seen as a referee: it protects the framework that allows people to live differently without being coerced. What is communitarianism? Communitarianism argues that political life cannot be understood by focusing only on ...