Cultural encounters and social solidarity

Abstract

The problem of social solidarity, of how to achieve goodwill and harmonious social relations within society, is, as noted by O’Sullivan-Lago (this issue), as old as society itself. Unsurprisingly, the problem has been thematised by religious leaders, rulers, philosophers and story tellers as far back as written records go. Religions have sought to create unity among people by propagating a common code and worship of a common god. Confucius argued that harmonious societies were not forged from punishment but led by virtue and the Emperor’s search for the perfection of society. Plato argued that the perfect society is internally differentiated, with workers, warriors, and philosopher-kings each carrying out a different role, and each depending upon the other much in the same way that the organs of the human body are interdependent. [excerpt]