Political thought, plurality and judgment · 1906–1975

Hannah Arendt

Make room for a shared world.

Hanover · Königsberg · Paris · New York
Portraits: artistic interpretations
Philosophy

Ideas that shift your perspective.

01

Plurality

Politics exists because we share a world while appearing within it from different positions. Unanimity and uniformity are therefore not its initial conditions.

A situation to think through

An assembly hears divergent experiences before making a decision.

02

Natality

Every birth signifies the possibility of a beginning. Action can initiate something unforeseen without guaranteeing control over its consequences.

A situation to think through

A collective initiative opens a possibility that habit had concealed.

03

Labor, work, action

Labor sustains life, work constructs a durable world, and action engages people in a shared space. These distinctions illuminate activities without ranking the worth of people.

A situation to think through

Preparing a meal, building a table and debating a rule serve different needs.

04

Thinking and judging

Thinking interrupts automatic responses; judging examines a particular situation while considering other standpoints. Neither obedience nor general rules remove responsibility.

A situation to think through

Before carrying out an order, consider what it does to other people.