Original scientific paper
The Liberal and Social-state Principle; Implacability or Convergence555
Rade Kalanj
; Faculty of Philosophy, Zagreb
Abstract
This paper deals with the research of the relationship between the liberal and the social-state principle in the social context of modem, highly developed societies. This relationship is becoming particularly important in today’s historical conjuncture, which has been marked by the falling apart of real socialist systems and by the triumph of the liberal model, which Fukuyama speaks of as »the end of history«. In these circumstances appears the question whether the liberal model is self-sufficient enough to solve all social contradictions alone, as well as to satisfy all needs, which means that all forms of social regulations (»the social state«) present nothing else but a decrease in this model’s efficaciousness and the undermining of its social legitimacy. There are three typical answers to that question. The first (Macpherson) expresses the opinion that the liberal model is — regardless of its contradictions — the most reasonable form of social organization, that it is the most capable in maximizing human prosperity and happiness, provided that these two goals are not considered as the consumerist piling of ready-made objects. The liberal model, therefore, does not need any correction regarding assistance from the state. In the second answer it is argued that both classical liberalism and the classical »social state« have reached their maximum What the contemporary, highly developed societies need is a new definition of »social environment« and the modernization of »the social state« directed toward debureaucratization. The social principle in developed societies is gaining importance, inducing the scenarios for the future to be written in accordance with it. This opinion is most eloquently represented by the French author P. Rosanvallon. The third answer is given by Hirschman. He deems that the liberal and social state principle in modem societies are necessarily interwoven, conflicting and complementing each other, and that this convergence of two constitutive principles represents an important factor of their efficaciousness and capability for change.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
155036
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1991.
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