Recognition and Social Freedom in the Thought of Axel Honneth

This paper undertakes an analysis of Honneth's concept of social freedom, which has gained relevance for the understanding of freedom in contemporary political philosophy. The moral grammar of recognition is analyzed as the theoretical foundation for any reflection on freedom. The author then revises Honnet's critique of the ideas of negative and reflexive freedom as a resource for the development of social freedom, which leads in turn to a contrast between the concept of social freedom and other relevant theoretical proposals in contemporary political philosophy. The paper concludes with an assessment of the meaning of social freedom and its contribution to the contemporary understanding of freedom and social justice showing the limits of this proposal Honneth's.