The Dialogue of Solidarities, or why the Lion Spared Androcles

When properly applied, the gemeinschaft/gesellschaft theoretical tradition can help us understand the problem of collective action. I argue that collective action is most likely in circumstances in which the actors feel both a solidarity of interests and a solidarity of sentiments with each other. I call this interaction of interests and sentiments the dialogue of solidarities, and I suggest that it is the basis of what mobilizes a community across time and space. I use the fable “Androcles and the Lion” to illustrate the workings of this dialogue.