Tony Ward reports how social trust has deteriorated over the past 30 years in developed countries, and how growing inequality has been a key factor in this decline. A key contributor to that growing inequality has been the enthusiastic adoption by the political right of the neoliberal dogma. As Jon Tons recently observed (https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/the-social-contract-and-the-voice/) this dogma decrees “that it is both morally wrong and technically unnecessary for governments to intervene to remediate inequalities”. This philosophy encourages individualism at the expense of community.
The key to social trust is, firstly, a faith in one’s fellows, and secondly an appreciation of the importance of the common good as an essential social underpinning. The common good involves people living with a shared vision of common purpose. Individuals might compromise their own interests so that benefit can flow to others, recognising that we share common goals to which we each can contribute and from which we all can benefit.
This common purpose – our shared commitment to the common good – rests at the heart of social cohesion. We must shake off the neoliberal dogma and reclaim our common humanity.
We must reclaim the common good
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