The separation of a public and a private sphere is essential for the normative self-understanding of liberal democracies. But the question of where to draw the line is a matter of intense public debate. The essay discusses problems of liberal self-containment with regard to private forms of life. It concentrates on the debate about reforms in family policies that is going on in Germany at present and concludes that the principle of neutrality is consistent with and even demands political measures of non-discrimination.
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