Politische Gleichheit

Who has power and based on which institutional structures, resources, and opportunities? Could it be that in recent decades we have lost sight of the concrete power relations and inequalities in our societies under the shadow of an abstract liberal ideal of equality – and that we were therefore relatively unprepared for the new economic upheavals and right-wing populist mobilizations? Yes, says Danielle Allen, and in her book, she develops a new understanding of political equality for societies of great social and cultural diversity. The starting point of her analysis is the relationship between negative and positive rights. In contrast to the influential liberal theory of Rawls, Allen advocates giving both equal importance – thus arriving at a theory of justice based on the principle of "difference without domination." In light of this principle, for example, issues of social cohesion can be productively addressed. Genuine political equality, according to Allen, can only be realized in democratic societies with strong social ties. This requires enduring differences and building new cultures of interaction. It also necessitates a policy that promotes this, for instance, through appropriate social and economic measures. A theory for the 21st century.