Nationalism, Laïcité, and Moral Individualism

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Other Title
  • ナショナリズム・ライシテ・道徳的個人主義
  • ナショナリズム・ライシテ・道徳的個人主義 : フランス第三共和政下の政治的対立とデュルケム
  • ナショナリズム ・ ライシテ ・ ドウトクテキ コジン シュギ : フランス ダイサン キョウワセイ カ ノ セイジテキ タイリツ ト デュルケム
  • ――Studying the Political Conflicts in the French Third Republic from Durkheim’s Perspective――
  • ――フランス第三共和政下の政治的対立とデュルケム――

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<p>Durkheim’s theory of moral individualism has been extensively discussed, especially with regard to its position in his social theory. Its theoretical significance has been recognized vis-à-vis his other concepts and theories, such as organic solidarity, egoism, and the theorization of the state. In contrast, this article intends to investigate Durkheim’s motivation for putting forward his concept of moral individualism and to consider its practical significance in the political context of the French Third Republic leading up to the outbreak of the Dreyfus Affair. Durkheim raised the concept of moral individualism to deal with the crisis of the Dreyfus Affair. What was the core of this crisis? It caused political conflicts about the essential values of the Republic itself, such as nationalism and the concept of laïcité. Considering Durkheim’s objective from this perspective, moral individualism can be discussed as follows. Durkheim rejected right-wing nationalism and reimagined left-wing nationalism. The ideal of moral individualism is neither right-wing nationalism that opposes individualism nor left-wing nationalism that supports individualism as the absolute identity of the Republic; it is rather a nationalism that emphasizes love for humanity and attempts to guarantee human rights to every human being built on individualism with a republican identity. Furthermore, while asserting nonclerical morality, Durkheim maintained a distance from those republicans who promoted anti-clerical policies and cooperated with the Catholic Church. According to Durkheim, moral individualism is the foundation of social integration as a basis for morality that is nonclerical as well as religious and maintains a continuity with the Catholic morality. Durkheim’s aim in promoting moral individualism was to overcome political conflicts in the Republic. It is suggested that focusing on such practical characteristics of moral individualism could be an effective means of exploring ways to overcome contemporary conflicts.</p>

Journal

  • SOSHIOROJI

    SOSHIOROJI 63 (2), 23-41, 2018-10-01

    SHAKAIGAKU KENKYUKAI

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