Are you tolerant if you tolerate the intolerant?

The question of whether tolerating the intolerant constitutes tolerance is a complex and debated issue, particularly highlighted by the concept known as the "paradox of tolerance."

The Paradox of Tolerance

Philosopher Karl Popper introduced the paradox of tolerance in his work The Open Society and Its Enemies. He argued that if a society extends unlimited tolerance to those who are intolerant, it risks enabling the eventual dominance of intolerance, which could undermine the very principle of tolerance itself. According to Popper, a truly tolerant society must retain the right to deny tolerance to those who promote intolerance, especially if such intolerance threatens the liberty and stability of the society24.

Limits of Tolerance

This paradox suggests that tolerance is not absolute and must be balanced with the need to protect the principles of tolerance and the rights of others. John Rawls, for example, argued that a just society should generally tolerate the intolerant but reserve the right to take self-preservative actions when intolerance poses a concrete threat to liberty and stability. Rawls emphasized that the liberties of the intolerant should be constrained only when they demonstrably affect the liberties of others2.

Voluntary Acceptance and Social Contract

Tolerance is often defined as a voluntary acceptance of beliefs, practices, or identities that one objects to, but chooses to endure for the sake of social harmony or other positive reasons. However, this acceptance is conditional and does not extend to behaviors or ideologies that harm others or undermine the social contract. In this context, tolerating the intolerant would be seen as a violation of the social contract and the principles of tolerance itself25.

Conclusion

In summary, tolerating the intolerant is not considered true tolerance in the philosophical sense. True tolerance involves recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others, but it does not extend to tolerating behaviors or ideologies that are harmful or that undermine the principles of tolerance and the rights of others. Therefore, a tolerant society must draw limits and may need to be intolerant of intolerance to maintain its own integrity and protect the liberties of all its members.