ABSTRACT
With a view to sorting out some of the underlying problems this chapter offers a brief survey of the more important meanings of solidarity and, on this backgroud, a discussion of the insurance issue. First, a basic distinction can be made between the two basic meanings of solidarity. On the one hand there is what may be called communal solidarity; this is solidarity as practiced by a group of people having a common interest. On the other hand there is constitutive solidarity as practiced by a group of people having an interest in common. As is to be expected each of these meanings gives a distinctive content to the ideal of solidarity. The problem and tensions involving insurance, genetics and solidarity may now be described as follows. Many European countries have created, or are in the process of creating, egalitarian health-care systems based on solidarity, meaning income-related contributions and equal utilization for all irrespective of the amount they have contributed.
