Statism and Distributive Injustice in Adam Smith
Abstract
This paper seeks to displace contemporary “progressive” attempts to bring Adam Smith into the fold of thinkers who support a form of state intervention favouring the welfare of its poorest members through distributive justice. The paper argues that despite the validity of pointing to Smith’s support of those at the lowest economic level, it never amounts to redistribution of wealth, especially to the poorest. The state structure Smith proposes does favour those with the most at stake in maintaining a stable political structure. The paper argues that the real and genuine concern Smith shows for the poorest element, would be supported by the state through the development of a legal system that would prevent or hinder the bad behaviour of the upper classes and state craft that promotes broader economic development while promoting the better virtues of societies wealthier members. Though there are distributive elements of Smith’s theory that favours the poor, they tend to be measures that prohibit attempts at distribution that could end up harming the poor. Thus, there is no basis for the assertions of egalitarian liberals who see in Smith’s work support for state sponsorship of an ideal formula for resource distribution.
Abstract
This paper seeks to displace contemporary “progressive” attempts to bring Adam Smith into the fold of thinkers who support a form of state intervention favouring the welfare of its poorest members through distributive justice. The paper argues that despite the validity of pointing to Smith’s support of those at the lowest economic level, it never amounts to redistribution of wealth, especially to the poorest. The state structure Smith proposes does favour those with the most at stake in maintaining a stable political structure. The paper argues that the real and genuine concern Smith shows for the poorest element, would be supported by the state through the development of a legal system that would prevent or hinder the bad behaviour of the upper classes and state craft that promotes broader economic development while promoting the better virtues of societies wealthier members. Though there are distributive elements of Smith’s theory that favours the poor, they tend to be measures that prohibit attempts at distribution that could end up harming the poor. Thus, there is no basis for the assertions of egalitarian liberals who see in Smith’s work support for state sponsorship of an ideal formula for resource distribution.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Abbreviations IX
- Introduction: Two Opposing Conceptions of Distributive Justice 1
-
Part I: Deep Disagreements
- Deep Disagreements on Social and Political Justice: Their Meta-Ethical Relevance and the Need for a New Research Perspective 23
- Are There Irreconcilable Conceptions of Justice? Critical Remarks on Isaiah Berlin 53
- Equality beyond Liberal Egalitarianism: Walzer’s Contribution to the Theory of Justice 71
- Stuart Hampshire and the Case for Procedural Justice 91
- Public Reason in Circumstances of Pluralism 109
- Does Rawls’s First Principle of Justice Allow for Consensus? A Note 127
-
Part II: Ancient Perspectives and Critiques of the Centrality of Justice
- Aristotle on Natural Right 133
- What Is “Just in Distribution” in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics – Too Much Justice, Too Little Right 151
- Justice in Ethics and Political Philosophy: A Fundamental Critique 171
- Justicitis 187
-
Part III: The Problem of Consensus
- Rawls on Overlapping Disagreement and the Problem of Reconciliation 207
- Public Reason, Compromise within Consensus, and Legitimacy 225
- From Consensus to Modus Vivendi? Pluralistic Approaches to the Challenge of Moral Diversity and Conflict 243
- What Bonds Citizens in a Pluralistic Democracy? Probing Mouffe’s Notion of a Conflictual Consensus 259
- Citizenship, Community, and the Rule of Law: With or Without Consensus? 275
- Political Liberalism: The Burdens of Judgement and Moral Psychology 291
-
Part IV: Expanding the Perspective on Obligations
- John Rawls and Claims of Climate Justice: Tensions and Prospects 311
- Assistance, Emergency Relief and the Duty Not to Harm – Rawls’ and Cosmopolitan Approaches to Distributive Justice Combined 329
- Global Collective Obligations, Just International Institutions and Pluralism 345
- Intergenerational Justice in the Age of Genetic Manipulation 361
-
Part V: Diversifying the Perspective
- The Contours of Toleration: A Relational Account 385
- Constructing Public Distributive Justice: On the Method of Functionalist Moral Theory 403
- Respect as an Object of Equal Distribution? Opacity, Individual Recognition and Second-Personal Authority 423
- Responsibility and Justice: Beyond Moral Egalitarianism and Rational Consensus 441
- Habermas’s and Rawls’s Postsecular Modesty 449
-
Part VI: The Difference Principle
- A Defense of the Difference Principle beyond Rawls 469
- Marxist Critiques of the Difference Principle 487
-
Part VII: The Economic Perspective: Adam Smith
- Justice, Equity, and Distribution: Adam Smith’s Answer to John Rawls’s Difference Principle 505
- Statism and Distributive Injustice in Adam Smith 523
- Notes on Contributors 541
- Author Index 545
- Subject Index 551
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Abbreviations IX
- Introduction: Two Opposing Conceptions of Distributive Justice 1
-
Part I: Deep Disagreements
- Deep Disagreements on Social and Political Justice: Their Meta-Ethical Relevance and the Need for a New Research Perspective 23
- Are There Irreconcilable Conceptions of Justice? Critical Remarks on Isaiah Berlin 53
- Equality beyond Liberal Egalitarianism: Walzer’s Contribution to the Theory of Justice 71
- Stuart Hampshire and the Case for Procedural Justice 91
- Public Reason in Circumstances of Pluralism 109
- Does Rawls’s First Principle of Justice Allow for Consensus? A Note 127
-
Part II: Ancient Perspectives and Critiques of the Centrality of Justice
- Aristotle on Natural Right 133
- What Is “Just in Distribution” in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics – Too Much Justice, Too Little Right 151
- Justice in Ethics and Political Philosophy: A Fundamental Critique 171
- Justicitis 187
-
Part III: The Problem of Consensus
- Rawls on Overlapping Disagreement and the Problem of Reconciliation 207
- Public Reason, Compromise within Consensus, and Legitimacy 225
- From Consensus to Modus Vivendi? Pluralistic Approaches to the Challenge of Moral Diversity and Conflict 243
- What Bonds Citizens in a Pluralistic Democracy? Probing Mouffe’s Notion of a Conflictual Consensus 259
- Citizenship, Community, and the Rule of Law: With or Without Consensus? 275
- Political Liberalism: The Burdens of Judgement and Moral Psychology 291
-
Part IV: Expanding the Perspective on Obligations
- John Rawls and Claims of Climate Justice: Tensions and Prospects 311
- Assistance, Emergency Relief and the Duty Not to Harm – Rawls’ and Cosmopolitan Approaches to Distributive Justice Combined 329
- Global Collective Obligations, Just International Institutions and Pluralism 345
- Intergenerational Justice in the Age of Genetic Manipulation 361
-
Part V: Diversifying the Perspective
- The Contours of Toleration: A Relational Account 385
- Constructing Public Distributive Justice: On the Method of Functionalist Moral Theory 403
- Respect as an Object of Equal Distribution? Opacity, Individual Recognition and Second-Personal Authority 423
- Responsibility and Justice: Beyond Moral Egalitarianism and Rational Consensus 441
- Habermas’s and Rawls’s Postsecular Modesty 449
-
Part VI: The Difference Principle
- A Defense of the Difference Principle beyond Rawls 469
- Marxist Critiques of the Difference Principle 487
-
Part VII: The Economic Perspective: Adam Smith
- Justice, Equity, and Distribution: Adam Smith’s Answer to John Rawls’s Difference Principle 505
- Statism and Distributive Injustice in Adam Smith 523
- Notes on Contributors 541
- Author Index 545
- Subject Index 551
