Solidarity as Joint Action

Abstract

The demand for social justice, especially in the context of the welfare state, is often framed as a demand of solidarity. But it is not clear why: in what sense, if any, is social justice best understood as a demand of solidarity? This article explores this question. There are two reasons to do so. First, very little has been written on the concept of solidarity, and almost nothing on why and how solidarity can both give rise to and be the target of a moral obligation.1 The first aim of the article is to fill this gap.The second aim of the article is to explore the normative implications of this account of solidarity for the commitment to social justice at the heart of the welfare state, and in so doing, to put into question the idea that shared experience or shared identity are either necessary or sufficient bases for social justice qua solidarity. Shared Experience, Shared Identity, and Shared ActionSolidarity is a peculiarly modern concern. While one can trace the term to its roots in Roman law -where an obligation in solidum was a joint contractual obligation in which each signatory declared himself liable for the debts of all together -its use as a term denoting a type of broadly social (rather than narrowly legal) relation only becomes prevalent in Europe -and especially in France -during the 19th century. Why then? As any cursory glance at the major early texts (e.g. Fourier, Leroux, Comte, Durkheim) will reveal, the language of solidarity emerges as a response to growing anxiety regarding the expansion of commercial society, large-scale industry, and the perceived collapse of traditional communities.2 From this perspective, it is no surprise that a language of solidarity emerges in France, where the upheavals of the Revolution and its aftermath had first placed the ideal of republican fraternité firmly on the map. If societies are to hold together in the presence of the centrifugal, individualistic pull of markets, then bs_bs_banner Journal of Applied Philosophy

Solidarity is for other people: identifying derelictions of solidarity in responses to COVID-19

“…Correlatively, Sangiovanni discusses the participation in collaborative institutions as solidaristic practice when he argues that solidarity is grounded in 'our joint action as authors of political and social institutions'. 7 Thus, for Sangiovanni solidarity is something which emerges from shared participation in the construction and enactment of civic society. Solidarity can therefore be interpreted in a range of ways-as the act of carrying costs for relevantly similar others, 'standing up for', 'standing up with' and 'standing up as'' those persons with whom solidarity is identified, 3 or the act of working together for a shared goal.…”

“…Solidarity can therefore be interpreted in a range of ways-as the act of carrying costs for relevantly similar others, 'standing up for', 'standing up with' and 'standing up as'' those persons with whom solidarity is identified, 3 or the act of working together for a shared goal. 7 Regardless of the precise definition adopted, at least basic solidarity, as active engagements in interpersonal and/or institutional egalitarian relationality, by all or most members of a group is fundamentally necessary for the existence and functioning of any community-as I explain below, it is particularly important in democracies.…”

Solidarity Practices in Poland and Their Social Capital Foundations

“…Given the multidimensionality of solidarity and various traditions of its understanding, it is useful to provide an analytical definition of solidarity practice. According to Sangiovanni (2015), solidarity differs from other types of collective action in regard to five aspects. Firstly, A acts in solidarity with B when A and B share the goal to overcome some significant adversity, although no joint agency of A and B is obligatory.…”

The Stein Rokkan Lecture 2016 Mission impossible? Reconciling economic and social Europe after the euro crisis and Brexit

“…Common risks are instead directly produced by integration and/or externalities: for example, the adverse consequence of an asymmetric shock in the presence of EMU's constraints; the implications of domestic trade deficits or surpluses for the overall growth of the eurozone; or the negative impact of sudden surges in worker mobility or immigration from outside the EU. For such types of risks, joint action (e.g., under the form of risk pooling or re‐insurance schemes) is the appropriate solution on functional/ normative grounds (Sangiovanni ) but also on political grounds (i.e., for legitimation and loyalty‐building purposes). The quantum leap that needs to be undertaken for a tangible and credible takeoff of ESU should therefore be the creation of a formalised instrument – equipped with adequate fiscal resources – for responding to common adversities, wherever they may hit.…”