This is a glossary entry that gathers the technical meaning of this term in Shahrur across his various books, and connects its multiple uses.
This entry belongs to the Shahrurian glossary. For reading by theme, see Shahrur’s major themes and shared concepts.
Meaning in Shahrur
Pluralism is the acceptance of the existence of multiple faces, interests, and opinions within society, and the making of this plurality a condition for development and freedom, and a basis for the establishment of the civil state. For Shahrur, it is a sign of the health of society and of shura, in contrast to monism, which leads to tyranny and ruin.
Distinctions
- It is not merely formal social diversity, but a principle that guides the construction of the state and the relationship between people and power
- It differs from monism, which is understood as a cause of injustice and tyranny, not as a viable human model for social organization.
Passages from his books
- State and Society: For Shahrur, pluralism is not merely social diversity, but a condition of development and freedom and the basis of the civil state. He contrasts it with monism, which he sees as the cause of tyranny and ruin, and makes acceptance of it a criterion for the health of society and of shura
What adjoins it and differs from it
- the civil state
- monism is a divine attribute, not a social one
- monism is a divine attribute, not a human model
- monism and tyranny lead to ruin
- monistic systems carry within them the seeds of their own destruction
- social history moves from monism to pluralism
- history and society judge monism as injustice and ruin
- history moves toward pluralism
- pluralism creates the civil state
- pluralism is a condition of development and freedom
- pluralism is the basis of the civil state and society
- the civil state presupposes pluralism and the separation of powers