Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Introduction: Gherardo Colombo’s Concern for the Democratic State under the Rule of Law: A Work in Progress
- Why?
- 1 An Imaginary Country
- Contents
- Part I The Ambiguities of Justice
- Part II Horizontal Society and Vertical Society
- Part III Towards a Horizontal Society
- Part IV How Do We Get There?
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
13 - Consequences of the Horizontal Society
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2020
- Frontmatter
- Introduction: Gherardo Colombo’s Concern for the Democratic State under the Rule of Law: A Work in Progress
- Why?
- 1 An Imaginary Country
- Contents
- Part I The Ambiguities of Justice
- Part II Horizontal Society and Vertical Society
- Part III Towards a Horizontal Society
- Part IV How Do We Get There?
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
Summary
In the horizontal model, social and economic resources are employed to guarantee that every person is respected, and that their fundamental rights are protected. First of all are life, healthcare, education, housing, and work, and then, in logical order (but not in order of importance), freedom of selfdetermination and liberties pertaining to the expression of thought in all domains, including politics and religion.
Respecting the individual involves imposing some restrictions on the powers the state has over them. For instance, ruled out here is any institution terminating a member of the human race; similarly banned is any interference with the physical person of an individual.
Healthcare is generalised: everybody who wants it, is entitled to it, in particular those too who cannot afford it. Therefore substantial economic resources are earmarked for healthcare.
Special attention is given to the education of all people. Nobody can be discriminated against. On the contrary, everybody must be guaranteed a free, adequate education, irrespective of their disposable income. Therefore not only are considerable resources earmarked for schooling, but teachers and workers are selected on the basis of their abilities and have access to continuing education. Their work is acknowledged in terms of both social dignity and remuneration.
The efforts of society are directed towards assuring that each member can live in a decent house and find a stable job which suits their abilities, and from which they cannot be removed without justification. Occasional unemployment does not bar rights to financial means guaranteeing a decent life.
As for attitudes towards other peoples, when there is a deep belief that each person has value and dignity, relationships are based on the recognition of the other. There is a tendency towards welcoming and integrating, rather than separating and rejecting.
The basic principle of value and dignity of the individual excludes the physical elimination of others, who are not ‘foreigners’ but fellow human beings. They are, again, individuals. They are not identified as enemies because they live elsewhere, follow a different culture, or have a different skin colour and a different (or no) religion. Otherness is not a threat to security.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- On Rules , pp. 70 - 75Publisher: Amsterdam University PressPrint publication year: 2016