Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action

Abstract

Habermas continues to hold out hope for the future of the modern world. It is in this sense that Habermas writes of modernity's unfinished project. While Marx focused on work, Habermas is concerned mainly with communication. While Marx focused on the distorting effect of the structure of capitalist society on work, Habermas was concerned with the way the structure of modern society distorted communication. While Marx sought a future world involving full and creative labor, Habermas seeks a future society characterized by free and open communication. (George Ritzer 1997, 453) This article is an attempt to explain what this theory is all about and to find out ifit has relevance to the contemporary realities of Mindanao.