Norberto Bobbio and the political justification of tolerance

Abstract

This article aims to approach the reasons for tolerance in the political context based on Norberto Bobbio’s contribution. This is a theoretical analysis with the intention of extracting the concept of tolerance and its possible justifying reasons. Bobbio proposes three practical justifications for tolerance: respect for diverse religious beliefs, since intolerance and persecution have only caused wars instead of peace; persuasion as the possibility of respectful debate about differences; and moral reason as the fundamental basis of respect for others and their autonomy. Methodologically, we will first contextualize tolerance in some theorists of modern and contemporary political philosophy and then explore tolerance in Bobbio’s political thought. Our conclusion is that tolerance is the supreme principle of community and democratic life; in this sense, it is an eminent political concept that is justified by respect for differences if they do not destroy tolerance itself.