Solidarität - Programm und Prinzip der Verfassung

In his study, Uwe Volkmann examines the concept of solidarity and its various potential uses. In order to give an adequate explanation of the contemporary concept of solidarity, the author begins by taking a look at the present discussion regarding individualization in modern societies and at communitarianism as a kind of philosophical countermovement. He then traces the history of the social, intellectual and legal development of solidarity from the Middle Ages up to the present time. He concludes the book with an analysis of the significance of solidarity for constitutional law in the Federal Republic of Germany and a plea for the establishment of a solidarity based on mutual recognition and a mutual sense of responsibility as a permanent constitutional principle.