Ethical reflections on social movements from the perspective of the political philosophy of Enrique Dussel

Abstract

The precursors of capitalism — Hobbes and Smith among others — have naturalized the idea that the individual, and not the community, is the most important thing. Smith (1958) states that there are substantial differences between individuals, and the fittest have the right to take advantage. In that sense, they have promoted competition between people in search only of their own well-being. The prevalence of this ideology in today's world has caused a huge gap in the living standards of the dispossessed compared to the richest on the planet, as well as in the growing number of the former. Economic disparity is perpetuated in political participation, since victims of the system are not allowed access to the decision-making process. From this perspective, in this essay I will speak of social movements as a way of responding to exclusion. I will argue - from the political philosophy of Enrique Dussel - that social movements are a vital tool for forcing radical changes in the political organization of a society; and that, to reach their full potential, it is necessary for them to organize themselves as non-exclusive fraternal groups.