Communitarianism & Individualism

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways are the values of individualism and communitarianism, although seemingly in opposition, both critical to a liberal democracy?

2. After reading the article on communitarianism, do you feel you follow the philosophical tradition of liberalism or of communitarianism when it comes to your view of democracy (note: Don’t confuse “liberalism” with “liberal” in American politics – you have to read the article to understand the meaning of liberalism in American political history).

3. In your opinion why did citizens vote in the latest 2018 elections in higher numbers than past mid-term elections? (Please consider your view in light of the trends noted in the FiveThirtyEight article in Week 1 e-resources (Dottle et al., 2018)

4.  Why do you think other western societies vote at higher levels than Americans?