Communitarian critique of liberalism: The example of Michael Sandel

Should the individual have the higher priority or the society? Why is it necessary to address this issue, which is one of the ancient discussion topics of political philosophy? On the one hand, liberalism is considered as the ultimate system model that humanity will reach, and on the other hand, strong objections are made on the basis of the community. A significant part of the objections are expressed by thinkers who are called communitarian. Michael Sandel is also an important name in this field. The purpose of this study is to criticize the individual-society issue with its current dimensions based on Michael Sandel's criticism of liberalism. The study consists of an introduction, four main sections and a conclusion. In the introduction, the definition and the main elements of liberalism, the nature of the debate titled "communitarian critique of liberalism" in contemporary political philosophy and the place of Sandel in this discussion are briefly mentioned. In the first chapter, a general framework of communitarianism is given, along with its historical background; and the critiques of the intellectuals called "communitarians" in the field of individualism, morality and politics are presented. This section is given first because it explains where Sandel's views fit in critiques regarding community, his attitude towards these approaches and the different aspects of the issue. In the second part, the liberalism of Kant and Rawls, which Sandel defines as "deontological liberalism" is evaluated based on rights, self and morality. Rawls's concept of "Right is prior to the good" and Sandel's notion of "unencumbered self" are examined. In the third part, the "political liberalism" dimension of the discussion that shifts from the philosophical perspective to the political perspective is addressed. The state's approach in a democratic and pluralistic society that isolates the philosophical, moral and religious spheres, called liberal neutrality, is critiqued. Starting from the example of the United States and being discussed worldwide, the philosophical basis of the discussions such as abortion, the theory of evolution, the use of religious symbols in the public sphere and various types of marriages are also discussed. In the fourth section, Sandel's critique of procedural liberalism, which has been practiced in the last 50 years, especially in the United States of America, and the republican (communitarian) approach he alternatively proposes is evaluated. In the conclusion part of the thesis, a general evaluation of the criticisms Sandel has brought to liberalism is made and the risks posed by communitarianism in the field of individual freedom and the rule of law are pointed out.