Real Freedom for All: What (If Anything) Can Justify Capitalism? (Oxford Political Theory) - Hardcover

Parijs, Philippe Van

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198279051 ISBN 13: 9780198279051

Publisher: Clarendon Press, 1995

Synopsis

Capitalist societies are full of unacceptable inequalities. Freedom is of paramount importance. These two convictions are widely shared across the world. Yet they often seem in complete contradiction with each other. Fighting inequality jeopardizes freedom; taking freedom seriously boosts inequality. What can be done? Philippe Van Parijs offers a solution to the dilemma. Assessing and rejecting the claims of both socialism and conventional capitalism, he presents an alternative vision of the just society: a capitalist society offering a substantial unconditional basic income to all its members. The author then goes on to demonstrate what his ideal of free society means in the real world by drawing out its policy implications.

About this title

Review:

Real Freedom for All is not just an exercise in political advocacy. It is an important piece of social philosophy on its own right. Although Van Parijs's main concern is to defend his own views, this book amounts to a critical guide through much of the recent literature on the topics it addresses. Professional philosophers will therefore find it stimulating and instructive, even as they take issue with one or another of its many controversial contentions. (Andrew Levine, The Philosophical Review, Vol.105 No.4)

About the Author:

Philippe Van Parijs is a Professor of Economic and Social Ethics at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. "

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0198279051
• ISBN 13: 9780198279051
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 342