| ID | 127007 |
| Title Proper | Rawls's difference principle as compensation for social immobility |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Machin, Dean |
| Publication | 2013. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Outside academia, John Rawls's theory of justice-justice as fairness-has had little impact. This article is part of a broader project to rectify this. I offer a distinctive, second-best, argument for Rawls's difference principle. The difference principle requires that inequalities in income and wealth are justified only if they benefit society's least-advantaged citizens. My paper argues that, slightly-modified, the difference principle is an excellent principle of redress in light of the UK's continued failure to give all citizens fair career chances. I show how we might realize the difference principle at the level of policy through tax rate reductions or negative tax rates. I conclude that if you don't want to accept the second-best argument for the difference principle you must get serious about giving all citizens fair career chances. As I suggest, this task is extremely difficult. |
| `In' analytical Note | Political Quarterly Vol. 84, No.4; Oct-Dec 2013: p.506-514 |
| Journal Source | Political Quarterly Vol. 84, No.4; Oct-Dec 2013: p.506-514 |
| Key Words | Difference Principle ; Social Mobility ; Tax Credits ; Negative Tax Rate ; John Rawls ; Second - Best |