Freedoms Right: The Social Foundations of Democratic Life

"Theories of justice often fixate on purely normative, abstract principles unrelated to real-world situations. The philosopher and theorist Axel Honneth addresses this disconnect, and constructs a theory of justice derived from the normative claims o f Western liberal-democratic societies and anchored in morally legitimate laws and institutionally established practices. Honneth´s paradigm--which he terms ""a democratic ethical life""--draws on the spirit of Hegel´s Philosophy of Right and his ow n th eory of recognition, demonstrating how concrete social spheres generate the principles of individual freedom and a standard for what is just. Using social analysis to re-found a more grounded theory of justice, he argues that all crucial actions in W estern civilization, whether in personal relationships, market-induced economic activities, or the public forum of politics, share one defining characteristic: they require the realization of a particular aspect of individual freedom. This fund amenta l truth informs the guiding principles of justice, grounding and enabling a wide-ranging reconsideration of its nature and application. "