LIBERAL PERFECTIONISM AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Martha Nussbaum and other ''liberal perfectionists'' have endorsed a r obust doctrine of state responsibility that is perfectionist in its co nception of well-being but liberal in its sensitivity to the autonomy of individuals and the differences between them. This doctrine can be understood as an effort to avoid the weaknesses of both an ''impartial liberal'' model of state welfare responsibility insufficiently attent ive to individual need, and a neoconservative model insufficiently sen sitive to autonomy and pluralism. Yet this robust doctrine is vulnerab le to the challenge that government concern for the quality of life ma y encroach upon autonomy and threaten pluralism. This article argues t hat liberal perfectionists can respond to this challenge by incorporat ing greater emphasis on public dialogue and participation into their d octrine.