Introduction — political reason after the enlightenment

pp. 1-36

in: Allyn Fives, Political reason, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013

Abstract

In a democracy, not only is disagreement a fact that can be observed, but it is also something that morally speaking should be accepted. But what types of disagreement should be tolerated and where instead can and should we push for agreement? This is the more pressing issue and the more difficult question to resolve. Democratic politics is characterized just as much by disagreement, conflict, and discord as it is by consensus, unity, and shared commitments. Although fellow citizens may try to come to some agreement about the proper aims and goals of a society, the distribution of its benefits and burdens, as well as the values and principles that are to be cherished and promoted, nonetheless in the political realm disagreements arise. Democratic politics is both an arena where we can seek out or express our shared identity as members of the one group or society and also a site of clashing world views; it is the realm in which we pursue common goals but also make competing claims to scarce resources; and in politics the claims we make often are incompatible and also justified with principles that are or seem to be incommensurable.