Ontology shapes Polity

Theories shape policies and ontologies shape theories. Therefore:

More explicitely, "Any political theory rests upon a metaphysics, a concept of the ultimate nature of reality" (Waldo 1984:21). Morever, any political theory if tied to our basic assumptions about the human being. In other words, what be believe about the human condition and potential and "[w]hat we believe about reality guides what we do and sometimes, we do not like the results" writes Margaret Stout (p. 391).

This is why:

Clarifying one's fundamental conception of reality (the ontology), that is enshrined in our decisions, is important to any policy making process. If we want to speak about a commons enacting polity beyond market, nation-state and charity, we need to talk about the nature of being, the way we see ourselves and others. Here is why:

Fundamental assumptions about how things, nature and human beings ARE, shape ideas and values anyway. Reflecting and unveiling them helps us understanding how this happens.

These assumptions "helped them [participants of the 2010 ASPA conference] make sense of why things such as collaboration, public participation, and international development are successful (or not)", reports Margaret Stout, a scholar of public adminstration.

Varying ontological assumptions are related to different ways of thinking about the human being, identity, and social life (Catlaw 2007a; Howe 2006). Therefore, ontologies can be political. They can be a Political Ontology. The term points to the fact, that ...

For example; a modern Western ontology is associated with the static, plural universe of positivism wiki , atomistic individualism, and materially self-interested human beings. This lead to modern liberal political forms.

"Political ontology depicts both what is and what SHOULD BE", explains Stout. It describes the fundaments of what is believed to be the constitutive Good, its source and ends.

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