Common Sense

The idea for this post came from a review I read about a book that talks about common sense. This book was written by a French sociologist, Raymond Boudon, and is entitle "Renouveler la democratie", which I think means 'renewing democracy'. As I understand it, the theme of this book is that common sense is needed for reviving the democratic process. The author thinks democracy has been flagging recently due to the lack of common sense.

The reviewer of the book, Stein Ringen, is also a sociologist. He tells us about a powerful idea in today’s world, "relativism", or postmodernism. He says that at its extreme relativism means "there are no truths or objective facts, and all opinions are equally valid”. (I think that is an exaggeration.) However, he says, there is a counter-idea to relativism, common sense. Like Boudon he believes common sense is a rational thing whereas relativism is not. Both Boudon and Ringen believe that relativism poses a threat to democracy because it doesn't foster the common interests that democracy depends on. They also believe that relativism doesn't foster the social cohesive on which democracy is very dependent on to survive. Well, I think both men are really talking about multiculturalism, which is a relativism. They think that multiculturalism doesn't make common sense and like relativism it is divisive and destabilizing to democracy.

I never though of common sense as a counter-idea to relativism or postmodernism, so I was drawn to the idea. However, I do think there is a common sense in relativism. Relativism, as multiculturalism, allows for many cultures to coexist and thrive together. In many mature democratic countries that recognition is prudent to keep harmony. But this does not mean a different set of laws and rules for different cultures as some argue. It does, though, make sense because relativism/multiculturalism in many ways adds to the polyphony democracy thrives on, to keep it vital, legitimate and relevant. In Canada multiculturalism makes sense. Canadians have learned to view multiculturalism as making perfect sense, embracing and cultivating it. If Canadians didn't, there certainly would be some serious social unrest, considering Canada's bicultural British and French background and the multiculturalism it has spawned.

I think it’s worth repeating that I think Boudon’s common sense views sounds anti-multiculturalism, since multiculturalism is a relativism. Some people think that multiculturalism, like relativism, is a threat to social cohesion. However, the reverse behavior can also threaten social cohesion, by denying diversity and multiculturalism, forcing people to assimilate culturally. Such a denial can produce clashes that can destroy any possibility at social cohesion. However, multiculturalism does not mean the flaunting of the basic, common laws of the land as some have argued. And there can be comfort in that fact because the common laws of a country like Canada are what unity people and in a way nullify the aspects of relativism that many find harmful to democracy.

The review by Ringen appeared in TLS. It is written under the caption "Trust the people" as though to say that the people are the source of common sense. And this is what Boudon is saying in his book, that the source of democracy comes from the common sense of the people. That common sense is a wellspring for democracy. He also equates common sense with ordinary thinking. Ordinary thinking comes from ordinary people. And ordinary people are what makes democracy possible, government of the people, for the people and by the people.

However, the common sense or ordinary thinking that is behind democracy has not always been there. It has taken time for much of the common sense that is behind democracy to surface. For instance, it wasn't always common sense that blacks and women should have the vote or that people should be treated equally under the law. No, there are very few things on their own that make common sense. Common sense is something that has usually evolved into common sense. Oh, there are some common sense ideas that come naturally, like don’t lend money to people who can’t pay it back. But even that common sense comes from experience.

Culture can determine common sense. The recent brouhaha in Britain about the using of sharia law attests to that. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, suggested that the incorporation of parts of sharia law into British civil law would make perfect sense. In his view aspects of sharia law could be utilized to help cultivate social unity, to help integrate the Islamic population in Britain into the rest of society. Sharia law, he argued, would help the Muslim population traverse and navigate many of the difficulties it has had in simulating into British society.

Well, the majority in Britain thinks that Dr. Williams’ proposal makes no sense at all. Sharia, many argue, would have a negative impact on social cohesion because there would be two sets of laws that would further divide society. As the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury pointed out, sharia law goes against the grain of the land and its democratic institutions. Lord Carey said, “There can be no exception to the laws of our land, which have been so painfully honed by the struggle for democracy and human rights”. In that light sheria law doesn’t make common sense for a secular culture like that of Britain's.

Sharia law makes perfect sense to some. But it doesn’t make secular sense, the sense Democracy depends on.