Should Democratic Societies Prioritize Cultural Issues when Developing Social Policy?

Should democratic societies prioritize cultural issues when developing social policy?

Though this question, on face, appears to be non-controversial for socially aware citizens of the United States and other democratic societies, it is not as black-and-white as one might think. There are other two major views we should consider before coming to a conclusion.

First View: "The aim of public institutions in a democratic society is not to represent and acknowledge differences but rather to uphold the common interests of all." [1]

By this view the responsibility of a government and any other public institutions is only to uphold freedom and equality which means only taking into cosideration the common characteristics of its citizens. Sociologists identify universal needs or primary goods: needs/goods that should be upheld above all others in order to maintain flourishing quality of life. These goods are ideals such as: income, healthcare, education, religious freedom, freedom of speech, the right to vote...etc. Because these goods are arguably intrinsically valuable, their maintenance should never be questioned. Because these needs are of equal interest to all regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or religion; public institutions do not need to recognize particular identities because such action is not necessary in order to develop effective fair and equal social policy.

Second View: "People need a secure cultural context to give meaning and guidance to their lives, consequently respecting and protecting cultural differences should be considered by public institutions in a democratic society. [1]

By this view, cultural context also ranks among universal needs/primary goods. In a society built and based on equal representation and protection of minorities it seems that culture should therefore be acknowledged, protected and taken into consideration when considering social policy. Liberal democratic states are obligated to help disadvantaged groups preserve their culture against intrusions by "mass cultures."