'The best argument', communicative action and social classes. A critique of Habermas' proposal

Abstract

In analysing social class from a discursive and emotional perspective, attention ought to be given to a particular aspect of the argumentative co-ordination of class interaction. We refer to the notion of 'the best argument', a concept originating in Habermas's classic Theory of Communicative Action. We argue that this concept needs to be reformulated before it can be applied to the analysis of class and, especially, to the relations of domination that are involved. This reformulation requires a critique of Habermas? theory. We focus on his social action typology in general and, in partcular, his concept of communicative action. We propose that the concepts of 'the best argument' and communicative action (which we reformulate as the argumentative dimension of interaction) should not require symmetry between participants in an interaction. We suggest that these concepts should apply both to situations of symmetry and assymetry. This allows us to better understand some of the mechanisms that sustain the process of social legitimisation in unequal conditions.