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Single Idea 18621

[from 'Taking Rights Seriously' by Ronald Dworkin, in 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 1. Grounds of equality ]

Full Idea

Dworkin suggests that every plausible political theory has the same ultimate value, which is equality - in the more abstract and fundamental sense of treating people 'as equals'.

Gist of Idea

Treating people as equals is the one basic value of all plausible political theories

Source

report of Ronald Dworkin (Taking Rights Seriously [1977], 179-83) by Will Kymlicka - Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st edn)

Book Reference

Kymlicka,Will: 'Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st edn)' [OUP 1992], p.4


A Reaction

I associate this idea with Kant (who says they are equal by virtue of their rationality), so that's a pretty influential idea. I would associate the main challenge to this with Nietzsche.