Spheres Of Justice: A Defense Of Pluralism And Equality

Front Cover
Basic Books, Aug 5, 2008 - Political Science - 364 pages
The distinguished political philosopher and author of the widely acclaimed Just and Unjust Wars analyzes how society distributes not just wealth and power but other social “goods” like honor, education, work, free time—even love.
 

Contents

Membership
31
Security and Welfare
64
Money and Commodities
95
Office
129
Hard Work
165
Free Time
184
Education
197
Kinship and Love
227
Divine Grace
243
Recognition
249
Political Power
281
Tyrannies and Just Societies
312
NOTES
323
INDEX
337
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 19 - In formal terms, complex equality means that no citizen's standing in one sphere or with regard to one social good can be undercut by his standing in some other sphere, with regard to some other good. Thus, citizen X may be chosen over citizen Y for political office, and then the two of them will be unequal in the sphere of politics. But they will not be unequal generally so long as X's office gives him no advantages over Y in any other sphere — superior medical care, access to better schools for...

About the author (2008)

Michael Walzer is Professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, and the author of many widely heralded books, including Spheres of Justice, Exodus and Revolution, and The Company of Critics, all available from Basic Books. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Bibliographic information