Handling Moral Conflict: A Deliberative Way

Abstract

Multiculturalism as a theoretical concept is an extension of communitarianism and emerged out of the liberal-communitarian debate. Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory. It is a theory to counter the dangerous tendencies which are inherent in the theory of liberalism and communitarianism. Liberal concept of justice was not enough to defend the sort of group specific rights that minorities need to protect themselves from assimilation and similarly communitarianism has a dangerous tendency to limit the freedom of individual to question and revise traditional way of life. In this paper I had tried to work out how multiculturalism as a doctrine emerged out of communitarianism and how composite culture which is an essential prerequisite of multicultural societies can be created. In this I had tried to show that Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory.  In this paper I had also tried to chalk out significant differences in the concept of multiculturalism and communitarianism. In a multicultural society, the growth of composite culture is necessary for the formation and growth of national identity and for composite culture to easily develop in multicultural society I had recommended deliberative form of democracy.

Most of the modern societies are multicultural societies with each cultural community offering a conception of good life. Coexistence of different conceptions of good life creates a situation of moral conflict which is confined not only to public sphere but stretches over to private domain also. Different cultural groups often grudge that their view and concerns are often sidelined by representative bodies while formulating public polices, which eventually make them apathetic to state authorities and creates a problem of legitimacy. Like in France, the state in 2010 decided to ban all religious symbols in public which created lot of resentment in minority community. Similarly in India, The Muslim Women (protection of rights on Marriage)bill, 2019 banning and criminalizing triple talaq  was passed by parliament as a social reform measure without having consultation with the members of concerned Muslim community. This spurred the debate in India that shouldn’t the government have brought in this legislation after having wider consultation with the concerned community and does the state has the right to criminalize a civil act pertaining to marriage whereas no such provision exists for any other community.

Modern multicultural societies are faced with the dilemma how to reconcile this discontent and resolve the disputes arising out of such moral conflicts. There have been numerous instances in multicultural societies where people belonging to different religious groups have resented such legal legislations which encroach upon their religious beliefs. There is therefore a growing feeling that while formulating public policies different cultural groups should be consulted. In this article we have tried to show that Multiculturalism emerged as a doctrine to defend minority rights in the context of communitarian critique of liberal individualism and how these minority rights fit into the broader issue of liberal-democratic theory.  Apart from this we have also tried to chalk out significant differences in the concept of multiculturalism and communitarianism.