Communitarianism

Communitarianism is a social philosophy that favors social formulations of the good. Scholars often contrast it with liberalism, which assumes that each individual should determine the good. Classical liberals argue that to the extent that social institutions and policies are required, these should be based on voluntary agreements among the individuals involved, expressing their preferences. In contrast, communitarians view institutions and policies as reflecting in part values passed from generation to generation. These values become part of the self through internalization and are modified by persuasion, religious or political indoctrination, leadership, and moral dialogues.