What Is Pluralism?

Definition and Examples

Robert Longley

The political philosophy of pluralism suggests that we really can and should “all just
get along”. First recognized as an essential element of democracy by the philosophers
of Ancient Greece, pluralism permits and even encourages a diversity of political opinion
and participation. In short, pluralism is a juridical and political philosophy holding that
people of different beliefs, backgrounds, and lifestyles can coexist in the same society and
participate equally in the democratic process.
Pluralism assumes that its practice will lead decision-makers to negotiate solutions
that contribute to the “common good” of the entire society, recognizing that the acceptance
and integration of minority groups should be achieved and protected by legislation, such as
social, civil political, cultural and religious rights laws.

Pluralism Definition
In government, the notion of pluralism anticipates that people with different
interests, beliefs, and lifestyles will coexist peacefully and be allowed to participate in the
governing process. Pluralists acknowledge that a number of competing interest groups will
be allowed to share power. In this sense, pluralism is considered a key element of democracy
and perhaps the most extreme example of pluralism is found in a pure democracy, where
each individual is allowed to vote on all laws and even court decisions.
In 1787, James Madison argued for pluralism, writing the Federalist Papers n. 10, In
particular, he addressed fears that factionalism and its inherent political in-fighting would
fatally fracture the new American republic, only by allowing many competing factions to
participate equally in the government could this dire result be avoided. Though he never
used the term, Madison had essentially defined pluralism.
The argument for modern pluralism can be traced to early 20th century in England,
where progressive political and economic writers objected to what they saw as the growing
tendency of individuals to become isolated from each other by the effects of unrestrained
capitalism. Citing the social qualities of diverse yet cohesive medieval constructs such as
trade guilds, villages, monasteries, and universities, they argued that pluralism, through its
economic and administrative decentralization, could overcome the negative aspects of
modern industrialized society.

How Pluralism Works

In politics and government, it is assumed that pluralism will help achieve a
compromise by helping decision-makers become aware of and fairly address several
competing interests and principles.
In the United States, for example, labor laws allow workers and their employers to
engage in collective bargaining to address their mutual needs. Similarly, when
environmentalists saw the need for laws regulating air pollution, they first sought
compromises from the private industry.
As awareness of the issue spread, the American public voiced its opinion, as did
concerned scientists and members of Congress. Enactment of the Clean Air Act in 1955 and
the creation of the “Environmental Protection Agency” in 1970 were the results of various
groups speaking up—and being heard—and were clear examples of pluralism in action.
Perhaps the best examples of the pluralism movement can be found in the end of white
apartheid in South Africa, the establishment of the “Racial Civil Rights Movement” and the
enactment of the “Civil Rights Act” of 1964 and the “Voting Rights Act” of 1965 in the United
States.
The ultimate promise of pluralism is that its process of conflict, dialog and negotiation
leading to compromise will result in the abstract value known as “the common good”. In this
context, the “common good” is closely related to the theory of the “social contract”, the idea
expressed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke that governments exist only to serve
the general will of the people.

Pluralism in Other Areas of Society

Along with politics and government, pluralism’s acceptance of diversity is also
embraced in other areas of society, most noticeably in culture and religion. To some extent,
both cultural and religious pluralism are based on ethical or moral pluralism, id est the
theory that while several diverse values may forever be in conflict with each other, but they
all remain equally correct.

a) Cultural Pluralism
Cultural pluralism describes a condition in which minority groups participate fully in
all areas of the dominant society, while maintaining their unique cultural identities. In a
culturally pluralist society, different groups are tolerant of each other and coexist without
major conflict, while minority groups are encouraged to retain their ancestral customs.
In the real world, cultural pluralism can succeed only if the traditions and practices
of the minority groups are accepted by the majority society. In some cases, this acceptance
must be protected by legislation, such as civil rights laws. In addition, the minority cultures
may be required to alter or even drop some of their customs which are incompatible with
such laws or values of the majority culture.
Today, the United States is considered a cultural “melting pot” in which indigenous
and immigrant cultures live together while keeping their individual traditions alive. Many
U.S. cities have areas like Chicago’s Little Italy or San Francisco’s Chinatown. In addition,
many Native American tribes maintain separate governments and communities in which
they practice and hand down their traditions, religions, and histories to future generations.
Not isolated to the United States, cultural pluralism thrives worldwide. In India, while
Hindus and Hindi-speaking people are the majority, millions of people of other ethnicities
and religions live there as well. And in the Middle Eastern city of Bethlehem, Christians,
Muslims, and Jews struggle to live peacefully together despite the fighting around them.

b) Religious Pluralism
Sometimes defined as “respect for the otherness of others,” religious pluralism exists
when adherents of all religious belief systems or denominations co-exist harmoniously in
the same society.
Religious pluralism should not be confused with “freedom of religion,” which refers
to all religions being allowed to exist under the protection of civil laws or doctrine. Instead,
religious pluralism assumes that the different religious groups will voluntarily interact with
each other to their mutual benefit.
In this manner, “pluralism” and “diversity” are not synonymous. Pluralism exists only
when engagement between religions or cultures molds diversity into a common society. For
example, while the existence of a Ukrainian Orthodox church, a Muslim mosque, a Hispanic
Church of God, and a Hindu temple on the same street is certainly diversity, it becomes
pluralism only if the different congregations engage and interact with each other.
 Religious pluralism can be defined as "respecting the otherness of others". Freedom
of religion encompasses all religions acting within the law in a particular region.