Education Frontlines
John Richard Schrock
Communitarianism
American public school education fails to explain the many forms of government. Many will see the first letters of communitarianism and confuse it with communism, but they are quite distinct.
American schools generally portray governmental systems as falling along the left-to-right spectrum that originated with the French Assembly after their 1789 revolution. The overthrow of the French monarchy brought in a range of representatives who varied from near-anarchists to communists to socialists to moderates to conservatives to near-monarchists—the left-to-right spectrum that provides a mix of economic and political systems. Because members on the extremes tended to fight and kill each other, the left-to-right seating in the Assembly provided a physical buffer and more safety.
However, there are far more combinations of economic and political systems possible. Many Asian citizens see a legalist-versus-Confucian social norm model.
U.S. libertarians do form a third party that occasionally gains access to our political discussions. The term “libertarian” also originated in 1789 and is an evolving view that argues for little to no governmental control in most issues. But it does not fit on the left-to-right spectrum and can be seen as both far-left and far-right. Libertarians favoring economic and social liberty would be on the far-left. Libertarians favoring low or no taxation and minimal to no state government would be on the far-right.
The confounding of economics and governmental management contributes to many uneducated Americans failing to understand many systems. For some, Venezuela is their only example of a socialist state, and that proves how bad socialism is. But that example reflects a bad government and not the economic system. Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark are also socialist with democratic systems, lack billionaires, and have led all other countries in measures of happiness for decades.
Other systems of economic and/or governance systems include collectivism, utilitarianism, consequentialism and communitarianism. The last deserves more attention.
Communitarianism varies around the world since it is based on social norms, and social norms are different across cultures. The well-being of the community comes first. Individual rights are limited when they conflict with collective needs. It assumes that a local community will have shared values where individuals will therefore have a social responsibility to conform. This then places the focus on local government and all members being engaged in how to influence or regulate individuals.
The two main problems are how to limit excessive individualism while also limiting state overreach. This does not include regulating the market (unless it harms the community) nor imposing communal ownership, so it is very distinct from communism.
For example, in a modern country, citizens drive on one side of the road with a median strip separating the opposing lanes. It is efficient and safe. What should we do if someone decides to drive in the wrong lane? Will community discussion of the fatal consequences of likely accidents be sufficient to prevent that behavior? If not, then perhaps a law with penalties is required.
A society managed more by social bonds and involvement than by laws is the basis for communitarianism. The many implications of this school of thought (and perhaps the way in which it could change our less thoughtful methods of economics and government) are discussed in the 30 essays in the 1998 book “The Essential Communitarian Reader” edited by Amitai Etzioni. A further 27 essays are provided in “The Communitarian Reader: Beyond the Essentials” released in 2004.
The discussions are wide ranging from “No Community, No Democracy” to why the market does not safeguard human rights. These essays are not at all in uniform agreement nor do they promote any central communitarian party. Amitai Etzioni (1929–2023) founded the Communitarian Network and was the Director of the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at George Washington University where he was a professor of International Affairs.
A reader of these essays will come to realize that nearly all of our common everyday behavior is not driven by a set of laws nor government dictates, but by our social norms. And these norms vary across the world. As a writer, I can only persuade folks to read these essays, but I cannot require it under force of law. That is communitarianism.