Why Autonomy and Not Tolerance is the Leitmotiv for the Multicultural Society

Due to the arrival of immigrant communities, current societies have become very diverse as multiple groups of cultures and religions exist within one and the same society. This sociological state of pluralism and multiculturalism however has given rise to fierce societal and political debates, illustrating the extent to which living in and with this diversity is far from obvious. In this article it is argued that a key element to understanding this 'abiding multicultural tension' is related to a political-philosophical impasse about what type of ideal a liberal society should prioritize. Should one respond to autonomy and thus impose the ideal of autonomy on its citizens, or should one instead rely on tolerance and hence respect diversity and accept groups who reject autonomy and are organized in a non-liberal way? After having fleshed out both ideals, autonomy is retained as the leading principle. Tolerance can only come into play when people have autonomously decided not to live an autonomous life.