31 - Civic humanism

Summary

This expression refers to a particular interpretation of the core normative commitments of the republican tradition of political thought, which is a topic of signiicant debate among historians of ideas. Based on what they take to be the experience of civic life in Ancient Athens, and inspired by Aristotle’s work, civic humanists claim that human beings are essentially social and political beings, and that they can only lead lourishing lives if they engage in virtuous political activity aimed at the common good. One might interpret this thesis weakly to mean that citizens’ political participation is necessary to sustain well-functioning political institutions and the social conditions favorable to the enjoyment of good lives. After all, it would be difficult for people to flourish if they lived in societies plagued by injustice and corruption. But the civic humanists’ thesis is stronger. It is that any good or lourishing life must include political participation as a key element. Political participation is considered not only intrinsically valuable, but also something whose absence would seriously diminish the value of citizens’ lives. This view of the intrinsic value of political activity has been attributed to Jean Jacques Rousseau andHannah Arendt, among others.

In Rawlsian terms, civic humanism is a partially comprehensive doctrine that recommends political activity and its associated virtues as fundamental personal goods.