Rawls's Egalitarianism

A new analysis of John Rawls's theory of distributive justice, focusing on the ways his ideas have both influenced and been misinterpreted by the current egalitarian literature.

Alexander Kaufman (Author)

9781108453035, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 23 January 2020

283 pages
23 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.45 kg

'… a learned and engaging book, and it will be of interest to scholars of Rawls and political equality. It pays meticulous attention to Rawls's particular arguments while keeping his entire political vision in mind.' Andrius Gališanka, Journal of Moral Philosophy

This is a new interpretation and analysis of John Rawls's leading theory of distributive justice, which also considers the responding egalitarian theories of scholars such as Richard Arneson, G. A. Cohen, Ronald Dworkin, Martha Nussbaum, John Roemer, and Amartya Sen. Rawls's theory, Kaufman argues, sets out a normative ideal of justice that incorporates an account of the structure and character of relations that are appropriate for members of society viewed as free and equal moral beings. Forging an approach distinct amongst contemporary theories of equality, Rawls offers an alternative to egalitarian justice methodologies that aim primarily to compensate victims for undeserved bad luck. For Rawls, the values that ground the most plausible account of egalitarianism are real equality of economic opportunity combined with the guarantee of a fair distribution of social goods. Kaufman's analysis will be of interest to scholars and advanced students of political theory and political philosophy, particularly those working on justice, and on the work of John Rawls.

Introduction: democratic equality: retrieving Rawls's egalitarianism
1. Rawls's practical conception of justice opinion, tradition and objectivity in political liberalism
2. Stability, fit, and consensus
3. Rawls and ethical constructivism
4. A satisfactory minimum conception of justice reconsidering Rawls's maximin argument
5. Cohen's ambiguities
6. Justice as fairness and fair equality of opportunity
7. Democratic equality
8. Ideal theory and practical judgment
9. Poverty, inequality, and justice.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Social & political philosophy [HPS], Western philosophy, from c 1900 - [HPCF], Philosophy [HP]