Egalitarianism and Global Justice

From a Relational Perspective

verfasst von: Kevin K. W. Ip

Verlag: Palgrave Macmillan US

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" , Springer Professional "Technik"

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Über dieses Buch

In this book, Kevin Ip articulates and defends an egalitarian conception of global distributive justice grounded on the value of equality as a normative ideal of how human relations should be conducted. Arguing that relationships of equality, rather than those characterized by domination or exploitation, are a requirement for a just system, Ip spells out the real-world implications of this approach. Ip defends the ideal of equality against the diverse objections which have been brought to bear, and the responsibilities we bear in our aspirations towards global justice.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Introduction

Abstract

This chapter contains a review of the recent literature on global equality and an overview of the book.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 2. Global Equality as a Relational Ideal

Abstract

This chapter provides an account of what it means for people to stand in a relation of equality to one another in the global context. It will start with a discussion of whether we do stand in some relations to distant strangers in the global context that give rise to claims of distributive justice. It will then argue that we have a duty to construct our relations to one another in the global context in ways that reflect each other’s status as equal moral agents. In particular, it will argue that a relational ideal of equality has three aspects: (1) the preservation of self-respect, (2) non-domination, and (3) fair terms of cooperation in collective endeavors.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 3. A Relational Account of Global Egalitarian Justice

Abstract

This chapter discusses the distributive implications of the relational ideal of equality. Relational egalitarianism is concerned fundamentally with relational problems but it is not indifferent to the distributions of advantages among individuals. The task of this chapter is to identify a set of principles of global distributive justice that will follow from the relational ideal of equality. These include a principle against exploitation, a principle of equal freedom from domination, and a principle of global equality of opportunity.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 4. Equality and the Justification for Coercion

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with the Argument from Coercion. It begins with a discussion of the concept of coercion and some possible reasons why it may have seemed important.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 5. Equality and Special Relations of Cooperation

Abstract

This chapter examines a number of attempts to associate political coercion with the demand of equality and argue that none of them is persuasive. Finally, it argues that there is an alternative justificatory approach through which political coercion can be justified without reference to people’s distributive shares and therefore one can reject the statist conclusion without denying that political coercion needs to be justified to those who are subject to it.

Modern states are not just systems of coercion but also schemes of social and political cooperation. Some opponents of global equality argue that the boundaries of such cooperation should also define the proper scope for egalitarian justice. Chapter 5 examines their claims critically. It first argues that the existence of cooperative ventures is not a necessary condition for demands of equality to arise. Second, it refutes the view that one’s egalitarian entitlements should be conditional upon one’s contributions to the state’s capacity to provide basic collective goods. Third, it examines the reasons why egalitarian obligations of justice may be said to arise from social cooperation and argues that these reasons, if sound, actually imply that the scope of such obligations is global. Finally, the chapter considers some other possible reasons for attributing moral significance to states as schemes of social and political cooperation and argues that these reasons are compatible with global egalitarianism.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 6. Equality and the Significance of Nationality

Abstract

This chapter responds to two nationalist objections to global egalitarianism. It considers first the metric problem argument, which maintains that there can be no appropriate metric for egalitarian justice to work beyond the context of a national community because a shared national culture is required to give content to the requirements of egalitarian justice. Second, it considers the dynamic problem argument, which maintains that egalitarian redistribution across societies is unfair because people belong to different national communities that are politically self-determining. In particular, it examines the idea of national responsibility and argues that the dynamic problem argument does not give us any reason to reject global egalitarianism.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 7. Responsibility for Global Justice: Agents, Distribution, and Demandingness

Abstract

This chapter discusses our responsibilities for advancing global justice. It also deals with the question of who bears these responsibilities. The idea is that various agents, including both individual and collective entities, should be responsible for bringing about just outcomes, and the content of their responsibilities will depend on their respective position in the global order. Then it considers the underlying principles that should guide the allocations of burdens associated with pursuing global justice. Given the gravity of current global injustices, taking responsibilities for global justice may seem to be a daunting task. As such, I will have to address the concern that my account of global justice is overly demanding for the complying agents.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Chapter 8. Conclusion: Global Justice in Non-ideal Circumstances

Abstract

This chapter contains a discussion of ideal theorizing in radically non-ideal circumstances. If there is anything all political theorists working in the field of global justice would agree on, it will be the claim that the world we are living in is grossly unjust.

Kevin K. W. Ip

Backmatter

Titel: Egalitarianism and Global Justice
verfasst von: Kevin K. W. Ip
Verlag: Palgrave Macmillan US
Electronic ISBN: 978-1-137-51407-3
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-51758-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51407-3