Collectivism

Collectivism is a broad term for approaches that give priority to the group over the individual. It can refer to political and economic systems in which property or decisions are collective, as in socialism and communism, and to cultural orientations in which family, nation or religion is valued above individual preference.

The word is used differently by different people. Social scientists contrast individualist cultures with collectivist cultures and use it descriptively, noting that communal obligations can foster solidarity and care for the vulnerable. In political argument, conservatives and libertarians often use it as a critique, contending that collective goals tend to justify limits on individual rights. Friedrich Hayek and Ayn Rand criticized it as the road to coercion.

The opposite is individualism. In practice, most political systems mix both: even strongly market-oriented societies provide public goods, and communities rely on shared norms. Conservatives distinguish voluntary community, such as families, churches and civil society, from compelled collective action by the state. The label can be applied to both left and right, since nationalism can also be collectivist. Critics say that using it as an accusation obscures what specific policies are being criticized.