Solidaarsust

Solidaarsust, or solidarity, is a social principle and practice in which individuals and groups recognize shared interests and responsibilities and commit to supporting one another, particularly in adversity or injustice. It encompasses moral obligation, collective action, and policy as modes of expression, and can be observed within families, communities, workplaces, and nations.

Solidaarsust operates across several dimensions. Economic solidarity involves social protection, fair resource distribution, and access to universal services. Social solidarity emphasizes inclusion, equal rights, mutual aid, and support for vulnerable groups. Political solidarity concerns cooperation across different communities to pursue common goals. Mechanisms include unions, associations, voluntary mutual aid, philanthropy, and state programs such as social insurance, welfare systems, and public health initiatives.

History and usage: The idea has deep roots in Enlightenment thought and modern social movements. It gained prominence through 19th- and 20th-century labor movements and social-democratic politics. A well-known historical example is the Polish trade union movement Solidarność (Solidarity), which played a pivotal role in challenging authoritarian rule in the 1980s. In contemporary contexts, solidarity underpins welfare policies, disaster relief, refugee protection, and international development aid, as well as transnational campaigns on issues like climate justice and human rights.

Critiques and limits: Debates around solidarity address questions of who belongs to the reciprocally supportive “us,” the risk of coercive or paternalistic policies, and the potential tension between collective obligations and individual rights or autonomy. Effective solidarity often requires inclusive practices that empower those who are aided and prevent exclusion or stigmatization.