Liberal perfectionism and democratic participation.

Polity, June, 1998 by Dzur, Albert W.

Scholars characterizing themselves as "Liberal Perfectionists" advocate a model of state responsibility that attempts to achieve a perfect state of well being while treating individual autonomy liberally. Though admirable in several respects, this view's central weakness lies in government definitions of the quality of life that can limit autonomy and challenge pluralism. Liberal perfectionism can reply to this challenge by incorporating greater emphasis on public participation and dialogue.

Martha Nussbaum and other "liberal perfectionists" have endorsed a robust doctrine of state responsibility that is perfectionist in its conception of well-being but liberal in its sensitivity to the autonomy of individuals and the differences between them. This doctrine can be...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.