Communitarianism, as a group of related but distinct philosophies, began in the late 20th century, opposing exalted forms of individualism. Not necessarily hostile to social liberalism or even social democracy, communitarianism emphasizes the need to balance individual rights and interests with that of the community as a whole, and that individual people (or citizens) are shaped by the cultures and values of their communities. CPN - Tools Terminology Though the term communitarianism is of 20th-c… (More on Communitarianism)