Individual differences and political equality : two reconciliations
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- I argue that a theory of distributive justice should explain how citizens' (a) individual differences and (b) political equality rightfully influence their distributive entitlements. Two important contemporary theories, luck- and status egalitarianism, explain (a) or (b), respectively, but not both. Two historical views (Fichte's and Rawls's) offer competing strategies to reconcile distribution-relevant individual differences—in particular, the contributions, efforts, and needs that vary from person to person—with citizens' political equality. Fichte's position that people have the right to guaranteed employment at a living wage ensures that workers' individual work efforts make sufficient contributions to allow workers to satisfy their needs. Political equality influences distributive entitlements to the extent that all citizens have equal rights (including the right to employment) and equal opportunity. Rawls guarantees equal rights and equal opportunity (in a different manner from Fichte); his view also has the effect of enhancing the talents of disadvantaged people over generations. In the long run, then—i.e., after the least advantaged people have benefited from generations of access to talent-building resources—Rawls's theory of distribution ensures that people's work efforts make sufficient contributions to provide for their needs. Fichte's account attends to people's individual entitlements in the present generation—so people need not defer gratification to their descendants, as presently-disadvantaged people must under Rawls's system—but Rawls's ambitious program allows everyone to satisfy a sophisticated need (for self-realization in work) that requires enhanced talents. Finally, I detail how luck- and status egalitarians could improve their views by appropriating Fichte's or Rawls's resources for reconciling individual differences and political equality.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2012 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Scharding, Tobey K |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Philosophy |
| Primary advisor | Cohen, Joshua |
| Thesis advisor | Cohen, Joshua |
| Thesis advisor | Satz, Debra |
| Thesis advisor | Wood, Allen W |
| Advisor | Satz, Debra |
| Advisor | Wood, Allen W |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Tobey K. Scharding. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Philosophy. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2012. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2012 by Tobey K. Scharding
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