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Single Idea 20548

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality ]

Full Idea

Someone who rejects equality can care passionately that resources should be transferred from the rich to the poor. They are just rejecting a particular reason that might be offered to justify the redistribution.

Gist of Idea

A person can desire redistibution of wealth, without it being for reasons of equality

Source

Adam Swift (Political Philosophy (3rd ed) [2014], 3 'Intro')

Book Ref

Swift,Adam: 'Political Philosophy (3rd edn)' [Polity 2014], p.96


A Reaction

For example, it might be for utilitarian reasons, which usually only seek maximised happiness, not equal happiness. And one may love many forms of equality, without economic equality being one of them.


The 24 ideas from 'Political Philosophy (3rd ed)'

The best way to build a cohesive community is to be involved in a war [Swift]
Justice can be seen as fairness or entitlement or desert [Swift]
Redistributing wealth treats some people as means, rather than as ends [Swift]
You can't necessarily sell your legitimate right to something, even if you produced it [Swift]
Inequalities are needed, as incentives to do the most important jobs [Swift]
Isn't it more rational to maximise the average position, but with a safety net? [Swift]
Hypothetical contracts have no binding force [Swift]
Cosmopolitans reject the right of different states to distribute resources in different ways [Swift]
Libertarians about property ignore the fact that private property is a denial of freedoms [Swift]
We should respect the right of people to live in their own way, even if it is irrational [Swift]
Maybe a freedom is from a restraint, and also in order to do something [Swift]
Opportunity should ignore extraneous factors, or foster competence, or ignore all disadvantages [Swift]
Men have had the power to structure all of our social institutions [Swift]
A person can desire redistibution of wealth, without it being for reasons of equality [Swift]
Membership and inclusion in a community implies non-membership and exclusion [Swift]
Liberals mistakenly think individuals choose their values, without reference to the community [Swift]
Liberals are concerned to protect individuals from too much community [Swift]
Multiculturalism is a barrier to the whole state being a community [Swift]
Anti-colonial movements usually invoke the right of their 'people' to self-determination [Swift]
Democracy is bad, but the other systems are worse [Swift]
Teledemocracy omits debate and deliberation, which are important parts of good decisions [Swift]
Since all opinions are treated as equal in democracy, it implies there are no right answers [Swift]
Design your democracy to treat citizens equally, or to produce better citizens? [Swift]
Design your democracy to yield political stability, or good decisions? [Swift]