Social Justice

The question of how to distribute benefits and burdens between different individuals and groups has exercised some of the greatest philosophers of the past, and dominates the study of contemporary political philosophy. This volume brings together some of the most creative contributions to one of the most intellectually fertile, and politically significant, areas of debate in practical philosophy.

Beginning with two classic discussions by Locke and Hume, the volume then turns to contemporary theories of social justice, focusing on Rawls, Nozick, Dworkin, and some of their most influential critics. It concludes with a set of provocative readings on various specific issues the family, market incentives, world poverty, cultural rights, and future generations that have extended or challenged common conceptions of justice.

With an introductory essay and a guide to further reading, Social Justice will appeal to students in law, politics, and normative economics, as well as philosophy.

Acknowledgements.

Introduction.

Part I: Historical Essays:.

1. Of Property: John Locke.

2. Of Justice: David Hume.

Part II: Contemporary Theories:.

3. On Justice as Fairness: John Rawls.

4. An Entitlement Theory: Robert Nozick.

5. Equality of Resources: Ronald Dworkin (NYU).

6. Against Equality of Resources: Relocating Dworkin s Cut: G. A. Cohen (All Souls, Oxford.

7. Against Luck Egalitarianism: What is the Point of Equality? Elizabeth S. Anderson (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor).

8. The Concept of Desert: David Miller.

Part III: Issues:.

9. The Family: Gender and Justice: Susan Moller Okin.

10. The Market: On the Site of Distributive Justice: G. A. Cohen.

11. Justice across Cultures: Is Multiculturalism Bad for Animals? Paula Casal.

12. Justice across Borders: Brief for a Global Resources Dividend: Thomas W. Pogge (University of Colombia).

13. Justice across Generations: The Non–Identity Problem: Derek Parfit (All Souls, Oxford).

Index

Matthew Clayton is Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Warwick.

Andrew Williams is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Reading, and has recently held visiting positions at Harvard and Yale. They are editors of The Ideal of Equality (2000).

"This is an essential collection for students interested in the meaning and politics of social justice." Debra Satz, Stanford University <!––end––>

"This volume is a wonderful introduction to the main contemporary debates about distributive justice. . . the editors provide a sure guide for students through this fascinating landscape of ideas." Thomas Christiano, University of Arizona

"This collection is clear in conception, carefully edited, and sharply introduced. Could a course on social justice reasonably ask for anything more?" Mark Philp, University of Oxford