chapter 31
...................................................................................................................................................IDENTITY,
DIFFERENCE,
TOLERATION
...................................................................................................................................................anna elisabetta
galeotti
Toleration is the social virtue and the political principle allowing for the
peaceful coexistence of individuals and groups holding diVerent views, prac-
ticing diVerent ways of life, and having diVerent characters within the same
society. This very general deWnition points out that the conditions under
which toleration is required are situations in which social diVerences exist
which do not coexist harmoniously; if they were to do so, there would be no
need for such a principle. Potentially or actually conXicting diVerences are
required for toleration to be necessary in order to bring about social order
and peace. The link between toleration and diVerence is thus immediately
established. Contrasting diVerences are the prerequisites for toleration issues
to arise. Yet, as circumstances for toleration, social diVerences need to be
further qualiWed. The discussion around which diVerences constitute the
proper subjects for toleration is crucial for contemporary theory of toler-
ation. Alternative considerations of diVerences correspond to distinct views