The Mutual Independence of Liberalism and Toleration

The political virtue of toleration has been for a long time closely associated with the idea of the liberal state. This chapter argues that there is no conceptual connection between the two and that toleration may even be incompatible with political liberalism, both of the neutral state and of the perfectionist state. The main argument is that the role of the state is to apply an impersonal system of rights and duties while toleration is a personal attitude of individuals and social groups in their mutual relations. While respect for rights is a duty both of the state and its citizens, toleration is a supererogatory restraint which is exercised on a discretionary basis. This means that toleration may have an important complementary value for the life of citizens in the liberal state although the state itself cannot demonstrate it.