It is tempting to separate politics and morality. Being morally neutral in politics seems evident to some people.
Sandel rejects. He gives two reasons: it is often impossible to discuss politics without morality, and even when it is possible, it is undesirable.
The debate on abortion and stem cell research are examples. Is abortion immoral? Is stem cell research immoral?
Teological discussion is sometimes necessary. Should we allow same-sex marriage? This discourse would draw a picture like this for most people: proponents being correct and opponents being discriminatory.
There is an important aspect to this debate, though. An opposition that does not rely on discrimination. It is the teological thought that marriage exists to celebrate a new life being born. Same-sex couples cannot do that. Sure, those opponents do not call gay people disgusting, they are just saying it does not fit the purpose of marriage.
Proposition arguments can also be made teologically. They can argue that the purpose of marriage is for the government to celebrate and approve two people loving, unrelated to a new person being born.
At the end of the day, Sandel says, utilitarian calculation and the distribution of freedom cannot be the only way to govern. What we must also consider, is what a good life is.
Sandel designs the politics of the common good.
1 Citizenship, sacrifice, and service
This is to pay responsibility to one’s community.
2 The moral limits of markets
This is to value the right virtues.
3 Inequality, solidarity, and civic virtue
One harm of inequality is that public goods become lower in quality. Another harm is that inequality decreases the usage of public institutions by rich people. This puts an obstacle in people learning civic virtues and increasing a sense of solidarity and community.
4 A politics of moral engagement
Discuss morality a lot in politics. A lack of discussion is not neutrality, it is rejecting moral values. A wide discussion makes morality stronger.
I’ll write my thoughts on Sandel’s work in another post