The Virtue of Solidarity

Abstract Many today are worried about our divisive, unequal, and fragmented politics. They are hungry for transformative and meaningful joint action to bring about change, yet uncertain what might bring it about. It is no surprise that calls for solidarity are heard everywhere. And yet solidarity has not received the attention it deserves, and certainly less than its closest relatives, liberty and equality. This book brings together twelve world-leading political philosophers to reflect on the nature, grounds, history, and virtue of solidarity. Topics discussed include race, class, and solidarity; Catholic understandings of solidarity as a virtue; the social theories of Émile Durkheim, Léon Bourgeois, and Jürgen Habermas, and how they bear on present disputes; challenges to solidarity as a virtue; solidarity as a form of sacrifice; solidarity as an egalitarian commitment; solidarity’s role in the just society; solidarity’s relation to justice; and pernicious solidarities. The book significantly advances debate by bringing together some of the most important philosophers working on solidarity today to discuss a comprehensive range of issues, including what solidarity is; when, and if it is, a virtue; and what potential dangers it brings in its train.