28. Walzer on Everything Money Shouldn't Buy

Question 1

How did Walzer view distributive justice?

Answer 1

That it is meaning-dependent; just distribution of a good depends on the meaning of that good in a given society

Question 2

What is Walzer’s problems with strict equality?

Answer 2

It doesn’t make sense because it treats different things as being the same

Question 3

What was Walzer’s principle of distribution?

Answer 3

That all possible principles be taken into account relative to the goods in question

Question 4

What is Walzer’s problem with inequality?

Answer 4

The dominance of one good over others

Question 5

What is Walzer’s objective for inequality?

Answer 5

To render it harmless

Question 6

What is the most important good for Walzer?

Answer 6

Membership (i.e. citizenship)

Question 7

What is Walzer’s view on the welfare state?

Answer 7

Security and welfare must be communally provided or those who would be provided for cannot truly be considered members of the community

Question 8

What was Walzer’s view on commodities?

Answer 8

That there are some things (like political power) that money shouldn’t be able to buy, because that allows one good to exercise control over others

Question 9

What was Walzer’s view on big business?

Answer 9

At some point it needs to be organized politically because it’s big enough to have political power