Solidarity, fraternity, sorority: Reflections from the individualist-collectivist intercultural continuum

To address the question of the place of fraternity within the Western liberal triad of liberté, égalité, fraternité, the author reflects on the intersection between the intercultural variables of individualism versus collectivism and the concepts of fraternity, sorority and solidarity. The concepts of fraternity and sorority are metaphors (mapped from the source domain of family to the target domain of society), while solidarity is a wide-reaching abstract concept based on traditions of the golden rule. From the perspective of intercultural theory, fraternity and sorority are collectivist concepts, while liberty is a cultural value characteristic of individualist societies. Equality is individualist to the extent that it is a safeguard of diversity in the context of democracy, while solidarity is collectivist in that it promotes social cohesion. These differences along the individualist-collectivist intercultural continuum make it difficult for liberté, égalité, fraternité to congeal as a cohesive whole of cultural values.