Requirements of Justice in a Multicultural Society

Increasing cultural diversity in western societies has received a variety of responses in contemporary works of political philosophy. While some thinkers see political recognition of cultural diversity as leading towards the disintegration of society or being contrary to liberal principles of equal treatment and state neutrality, there is an increasing acknowledgement of the need for recognition of cultural differences. This article is an attempt to explore some of the philosophical reasons underpinning a concern with political recognition of cultures and cultural differences. The main question is whether cultures and cultural communities give rise to any moral obligation that needs to be dealt with politically, viz., through the workings of the state, and if so, what would be the implications of such obligations in a multicultural society. A critical survey of various points of view indicates that there are two arguments regarding the significance of culture, namely, that culture is a source of moral values for people, and that as a type of community (that is, cultural community) it gives rise to some moral demands. The second argument, however, has not been articulated sufficiently in the existing literature, perhaps because of the prevailing suspicion of collective rights among liberal thinkers. This paper begins with the two arguments about the significance of culture, and then explores the political implications of such significance. In so far as the significance of culture has political implications, it can be said that, in the context of culturally plural societies, the two arguments ground two principles of ‘moral sensitivity’ towards, and ‘equal’ treatment of cultures existing in these societies. However, these two principles, which can be traced as the basis for various multicultural measures suggested by several philosophers, have not been properly articulated in the existing literature. After discussing these principles, I examine the legitimate scope of tolerance and recognition of cultural differences. In this regard, issues such as basic human rights, right to exit, excommunication and freedom of expression are considered. Finally, the role of politics and demo-