Solidarity

Solidarity is the unity or mutual support within a group, especially among people who share common interests, goals, or circumstances. It functions as a social bond that enables collective action and mutual aid, often across social divides such as class, ethnicity, or nationality. The term is used in everyday life, in politics, and in sociology to describe both emotional bonds and material commitments to others.

In sociology and political philosophy, solidarity is connected to social cohesion and the moral obligation to stand with others in need. Emile Durkheim identified two forms: mechanical solidarity in traditional societies, based on similarity; and organic solidarity in complex societies, based on interdependence. In modern practice, solidarity underpins social welfare policies, mutual-aid networks, and international development efforts.

A prominent historical example is Solidarity (Solidarność), the Polish trade union founded in 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard. Led by Lech Wałęsa, it broadened from labor rights to civic resistance against communist rule. After government crackdowns and martial law in 1981, negotiations in 1989 led to semi-free elections and a transition to democracy. Solidarity received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.

Beyond Poland, solidarity remains a concept in labor movements, faith-based social teaching, and global justice campaigns, emphasizing responsibility to others within a community or across borders. Critics note that solidarity can be exclusive or instrumentalized, and that its scope and boundaries can be contested.