solidarism

This term refers to a belief in the sharing of aims and interests. Solidarity is valued as a source of strength and resistance, and by implication, for its single-minded unity of purpose. A belief in solidarity as an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, was said to characterize the traditional working-class occupational community . In such settings, shared experiences of work and community life were said to generate and sustain strong feelings of fraternity, together with the values of mutual aid and participation. This sense of belonging was also said to be the source of working-class collectivism , although there has been little evidence to substantiate the case empirically, and it is doubtful whether such solidarism was ever as coherent and unified as has been claimed. See also images of society ; work, subjective experience of.