National policy and local politics: the assumptions of solidarity

Abstract

This article discusses the history of the Dtate-nation, political-judicial device built by Western culture which contains tensions within its framework, and is not in general dynamizing of citizenship rights. Notes that the last historical exponent of the State-nation is the Welfare State, closely linked to representative democracy which is incapable of fully incorporating citizens in public affairs, encouraging, therefore, a citizen of a passive nature. He argues that we face a loss of legitimacy of the Welfare State and that there is a fourth generation of rights, along with the "new social movements". It emphasizes that the loss of operating capacity and legitimacy of the State-nation, compels to ‘extensionate’ and ‘intensionate’ democracy, which demands a new political culture.