Abstract
In this chapter, two systems of political secularism will be critically examined: the American model of passive secularism and the French model of assertive secularism. I will pay particular attention to state subsidies for (institutionalized) religion, for faith-based schools and for religious education, and I will verify whether the American and the French model are in accordance with autonomy-based liberalism and liberal neutrality. Where this is not the case, some recommendations for improvement will be given.
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Notes
- 1.
Examples are the French ban on ostentatious religious symbols in state schools (2004) and a comparable ban in schools of the Flemish Community in Belgium (2013); the Swiss referendum against the construction of minarets (2009); the ban of religious symbols for teachers, lawyers and state-officials in some European countries/towns/municipalities; etc.
- 2.
- 3.
The only exception to this general rule is state financial support for chaplains in the army and in prisons. The rationale behind this policy is that religious freedom of prisoners, soldiers, officers, etc., is in practice not guaranteed without state support.
- 4.
Unfortunately, we should not overestimate the possibility of state control. In some American states, where evangelicals are a dominant religious group with much political power, it is common for this religion to have an impact on the policy of education in state schools as well (and therefore also on the curriculum in these schools).
- 5.
- 6.
In the Turkish Constitution, we read:
The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law; bearing in mind the concepts of public peace, national solidarity and justice; respecting human rights; loyal to the nationalism of Atatürk, and based on the fundamental tenets set forth in the Preamble. (Const. Rep. Turk., art. 2)
- 7.
- 8.
This was the previous article (art. 9):
L’enseignement est libre. La liberté d’enseignement s’exerce selon les conditions de capacité et de moralité déterminées par les lois, et sous la surveillance de l’Etat. Cette surveillance s’étend à tous les établissements d’éducation et d’enseignement, sans aucune exception.
- 9.
The preamble of 1946 reads:
La Nation garantit l’égal accès de l’enfant et de l’adulte à l’instruction, à la formation professionnelle et à la culture. L’organisation de l’enseignement public gratuit et laïque à tous les degrés est un devoir de l’État.
The actual article 8 (Const. 1958) concerning education sounds as follows:
L’éducation et la formation à l’environnement doivent contribuer à l’exercice des droits et devoirs définis par la présente Charte.
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Franken, L. (2016). Political Secularism: Passive and Assertive. In: Liberal Neutrality and State Support for Religion. Boston Studies in Philosophy, Religion and Public Life, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28944-1_12
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