Opposition to Individual Choice Theory
Communitarianism is a stream of thought with an orientation opposed to individual choice theory and free market economics. It is also known as Neo-Aristotelian character ethics or virtue ethics. According to communitarians, healthy community, and not the maximisation of individual choices, is the desirable goal of public decision-making. The goals which governments need to pursue are
healthy citizenry, environmental protection, reducing crimes and strengthening community solidarity. Communitarians value courteous dialogues on public issues, reasoned analysis of problems and dispassionateindividual decision-making.Lawswill be effectiveonlywhentheyarebased on a moral consensus which aims at specific goals.
Communitarians depart from theories which analyse many issues using the concept of an isolatedindividual. They regard any individual as inherently situated in a society. It is within society that individuals have their being and acquire their identity. Society and other human beings are a prerequisite for human life and happiness. In a way, communitarians accord higher priority to society over the individual. They do not, however, advocate any form of collectivist or dictatorial ideology. What they have in mind is a global community–with all its diversities–of the information age.
Thisview is insharp contrast withtheeconomictheory of market in whichindividual selfinterest acts as the driving force with the myriad individual decisions getting coordinated by an invisible hand. This view allows for minimal state intervention to cover areas where market forces either do not operate or fail to deliver results. In contrast, communitarians argue that consideration for others, altruism, loyalty, community based attachments and other group based sentiments are at the base of social life.
In the final section, we briefly recapitulate the ethical responsibilities of government servants.