Contemporary Solidarity
Whereas the first seven chapters highlighted various classical and more
modern theories on gift giving as well as solidarity, in Chapter 8 the focus
was on changes in contemporary solidarity. Various cultural critics
have propounded rather gloomy views about the consequences of the
individualization process for contemporary citizenship. Individuals are
thought to be less committed to politics as an institution and to the
attainments of the welfare state; they are assumed to be less able to engage
in longer-term projects and relationships, and their life course has
become more fragmented. As a consequence of individualization and
the increased diversity of social and cultural identities and involvements
people’s uncertainty about their own identity and place in the world has
grown. This uncertainty may increase still more, due to the arrival of
“strangers” in manyWestern societies. In addition, the 1960s ha s crea ted
a self that is more assertive than ever before and that tends to reinforce
itself above other selves. Against these possibly negative developments,
new opportunities to form social ties and develop solidarity have been
created by the globalization process. In the second part of this chapter
the attention shifted to more empirically based changes in solidarity in
Western societies. The picture proved varied: some forms of traditional
solidarity have diminished but others are on the rise, and also new forms
of solidarity can be observed. It is therefore impossible to speak in general
terms about a decrease or increase of solidarity. The many new initiatives
and the solid base of many traditional forms of solidarity do not give
rise to gloominess about contemporary solidarity, as we concluded in
Chapter 8. The observed decline in civil solidarity, though, does warrant
some concern.
At this point,we return to the central question of this book: howcan the
combined insights derived from the theories on the gift and on solidarity
contribute to our understanding of both the positive and the negative
manifestations of contemporary solidarity? From the anthropological
and sociological literature four relevant dimensions emerge: recognition
of otherness, social distance, motives for solidarity, and reciprocity.
Solidarity and the Gift