A habermasian solution for cosmopolitan aporia? From thin (communicative) solidarity to thick cosmopolitan solidarity [¿Una solución habermasiana a la aporía cosmopolita? De la solidaridad (comunicativa) fina a la solidaridad cosmopolita gruesa

Abstract

Very often, cosmopolitan projects are criticized because they tend to idealize proposals beyond the ethical and legal bonds of solidarity, which are necessarily limited to concrete communities. In this article, we turn to the Habermasian theoretical concepts to check whether it is possible to extend these bonds of solidarity beyond the nation state. Once we know what has been historically understood by solidarity (1), we will wonder about the tension between two approaches of solidarity that can be also found in Habermas’ proposal (2). We will reveal how the thin solidarity behind our communicative actions can rebuild a popular sovereignty in intersubjective terms (3). And even if that kind of sovereignty can be moved beyond borders, we will reveal the potential communitarianism which exists in Habermas’ cosmopolitanism (4). Finally, we will underline the cosmopolitan potential that lies behind the thin solidarity of the communicative action, which binds valid interlocutors together. That could be useful in order to promote a self-fulfilling prophecy, using international political parties (5).