PY 1103, Moral Problems: International Justice

Three primary theories of distributive justice:

1. Utilitarian

A just political system is one in which wealth distribution is organised in such a way as to

promote everyone’s welfare as much as possible, giving equal weight to each person’s

welfare.

2. Kantian Contractualism (John Rawls)

A just political system is one that every single person could reasonably agree to.

Test: would we agree to it in advance, if we were ignorant of the position in society we

would end up occupying?

3. Libertarian (Robert Nozick)

As long as people have acquired their property justly, they should be free to spend it as

they choose, which includes giving it to whoever they choose. The only constraint is

that people cannot use their property to harm others.

Property allocation is just if:

i.) its initial acquisition was just

ii.) it has been feely transferred from one person to another.

Justice therefore does not require the reallocation of wealth, unless these two conditions

Have not been met.

Thomas Pogge’s argument: it follows from even the libertarian conception of justice that

the current international order is unjust.

1) The rules governing international institutional structures are unfair, and result from the superior bargaining positions of richer countries; and they play a crucial causal role in the perpetuation of chronic poverty, i.e. they actively harm the poor.

2) The poor do not have an equal share of the world’s resources.

3) The initial acquisition of vastly unequal wealth of rich and poor countries dates back to past injustices, including the plunder of natural resources, genocide and slavery. Without redistribution of wealth from rich to poor countries, the effect of these injustices is allowed to continue.