Sharing the cake: income distribution and equality
Issues in economics: how a given community income might best be distributed from a moral point of view, taking special account o fneeds.
Philosophy employed: Sen’s philosophy of social choice; Williams on equality; Rawls’ political philosophy.
Argument
i. Definition of Utilitarianism allow for other – regarding elements in utility functions (Arrow and others)
ii. With differing utility functions, doctrine becomes ‘fundamentally anti-egalitarian’ (Sen); but traditional arguments for equal capacities for happiness (Pigou, Harrod, Lerner, Williams…) (Glover: a ‘central feature of utilitarianism is its emphasis on equality’)
i. measurement of definition (paternalism problem? Who judges?)
ii. use of utility information?
iii. And, the equality criterion only provides a partial ordering of social states – how might it be supplemented?
So: theoretical appeal + some practical vagueness? Nussbaum on the ingredients of the ‘good life’
Upshot: some problems all round. (Which of them are the most serious?)
(Dr. J G T Meeks)