Equité et stabilité dans les sociétés complexes: une lecture de John Rawls

Abstract

The reflection carried out within the framework of this thesis is centered on the theme: Equity and stability in complex societies: a reading of John Rawls. It was prompted by an observation: Modern societies appear to be fundamentally complex universes, due to the fact that they are marked by heterogeneity of interests, deep social inequalities and axiological, religious and cultural pluralism. This lack of homogeneity permanently poses the threat of conflicts over individuals and communities. In front of this situation, the present research proposes to question the capacity of the rawlsian theory of justice as equity to guarantee stability of societies marked by socio-cultural and religious diversity by disregarding identity allegiances. The analytical and critical approach followed in this work led the following results: the complex societies in this study refer to the diversity of converging and divergent interests, deep social inequalities, and to religious and cultural or ethnic pluralism. Rawlsian theory of justice as fairness offers both in its procedural aspect and its political dimension, pledges of stability through the sense of justice it generates among citizens who benefit from fair institutions and overlapping consensus that it proposes as the basis of social unity between citizens whom comprehensive doctrines and world visions oppose. Despite the problems of relevance posed by this theory, the stability issues in complex societies are of burning topicality and are visible both in the multi-confessional, multicultural context and in the multi-ethnic societies of Africa. Faced with these problems, the rawlsian theory of justice as fairness appears worthy of interest with regard to the requirements of tolerance, democratic citizenship, social cooperation and democratic pluralism that it promotes. Nevertheless, this theory would benefit from being conceptually reconfigured on various points not only in order to guarantee it greater efficiency but also to meet the challenges of societies increasingly marked by multiculturalism where communities claim recognition of their identities in the public space. The rawlsian theory of justice would come out more enriched if it shows itself to be more open to identity claims instead of ignoring them. The institutional and normative arrangements for the organization of society that we suggest should be able to provide answers to these in order to ensure optimal management of diversity.