Original scientific paper
STATE NEUTRALITY
Enes Kulenović
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The author discusses the concept of state neutrality through the debate led by political theorists in the last 30 years. The notion of neutrality is presented as crucial for legitimacy and scope of liberal-democratic government and also as an institutional solution to the rising cultural, religious and moral plurality of contemporary western societies. Starting with Rawls’ theory of justice, the article continues with Nozick’s libertarian criticism, MacIntyre’s criticism of liberalism and Sandel’s, Taylor’s and Raz’s arguments about incompatibility of the concepts of common good and state neutrality. The author discusses relations between neutrality and welfare state, plurality of values, public policy and common good. In conclusion, the author distinguishes neutrality of principle and neutrality of public policy, advocating for the former understanding of the notion of neutrality.
Keywords
neutrality of the state; pluralism; anti-perfectionism; liberalism; neutrality of principle; neutrality of public policy
Hrčak ID:
23674
URI
Publication date:
5.3.2003.
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