Are Liberty and Equality Compatible? (For and Against)
Cambridge University Press, 4/22/2010
EAN 9780521883825, ISBN10: 0521883822
Hardcover, 288 pages, 22.8 x 15.2 x 2 cm
Language: English
Are the political ideals of liberty and equality compatible? This question is of central and continuing importance in political philosophy, moral philosophy, and welfare economics. In this book, two distinguished philosophers take up the debate. Jan Narveson argues that a political ideal of negative liberty is incompatible with any substantive ideal of equality, while James P. Sterba argues that Narveson's own ideal of negative liberty is compatible, and in fact leads to the requirements of a substantive ideal of equality. Of course, they cannot both be right. Thus, the details of their arguments about the political ideal of negative liberty and its requirements will determine which of them is right. Engagingly and accessibly written, their debate will be of value to all who are interested in the central issue of what are the practical requirements of a political ideal of liberty.
Introduction
Part I. Equality is Compatible and Required by Liberty
1. The practical requirements of an ideal of negative liberty
2. Other attempts to show that libertarians should accept welfare or equality
3. Objections from libertarians to my argument from liberty to equality
4. My argument again and its future prospects
Part II. Liberty is Incompatible with the Right to Equality
5. The issue framed
6. The 'Social Contract' approach to moral philosophy
7. The grounds for welfarism considered
8. Conclusion
Part III. Responses
9. Response to Narveson
10. Response to Sterba.