Limitarianism Flashcards
What is Limitarianism?
The basic idea that no one should hold surplus money, which is defined as any money over and above the amount required for a fully flourishing life (focuses on the rich not the best-off so it is absolute not comparative)
Who coined the term ‘limitarianism’?
Ingrid Robeyns
What are Ingrid Robeyns’ two arguments for limitarianism?
1) Democratic argument which says that massive inequality undermines democracy and that the superrich possess ways of influencing the political process - some of which avoid legislation/regulation entirely
2) Argument from urgent unmet needs which requires 1 of 3 conditions to be met: extreme global poverty, local or global disadvantages, urgent collective action problems
What is instrumental limitarianism?
Having surplus money is bad because of what it causes or is typically associated with (this is the limitarianism Robeyns’ defends)
What is non-ideal theory?
The current theory of justice in our far-from-perfect world (Robeyns’ thinks her limitarian theory is of this kind in that it applies to the real world, more or less as is)
What is Lena Halldenius’ main criticism of limitarianism?
Halldenius believes that because limitarianism focuses on flourishing rather than how people fare in relation to one another, it misses the question of how the economic inequalities arise in the first place. It is motivated by concerns for systemic injustice but it focuses on local injustice (excess riches)
What is the difference between local and systemic justice?
Local justice is concerned with particular people; systemic justice is concerned with the entire society asks whether the overall pattern of distribution is just
What does Lena Halldenius say about inequality?
As inequality increases, people become more likely to accept it and to justify it (eg. the meritocratic attitude that great riches, if fairly acquired, are well-deserved)
What is the ‘adjustment hypothesis’?
The more inequality there is, the more accepting people become of it; their attitudes adapt. Halldenius says limitarianism requires the adjustment hypothesis to be false
What does Thomas Christiano say about wealthy people regarding political power?
Thomas Christiano says that wealthy people are more likely to translate their excess wealth into political power since they have nothing to lose by spending their surplus money (funding political campaigns, setting up think tanks etc)
What are the three points required for Ingrid Robeyns’ argument of unmet needs?
1) Extreme global poverty
2) Local or global disadvantages
3) Urgent collective action problems
Who wrote a paper defending the existence of billionaires?
Jessica Flanigan and Christopher Freiman
List three reasons Jessica Flanigan and Christopher Freiman give in support of the existence of billionaires
1) They aren’t handicapped in the same way public officials are when donating money (many fund arts programs that otherwise wouldn’t exist)
2) Introducing a maximum income would stop incentives for people to innovate or work hard in order to make more money
3) Taxes already don’t help the poor and many government policies actively harm the poor and the environment
What benefits would imposing a riches line have on society?
1) It is clear that the extremely wealthy have far more political power regarding government policies, and will support socially and environmentally destructive ones if it benefits them personally. By levelling the playing field from the top down, it will mean that the gulf between the needs of the wealthy and the poor won’t be so drastic
2) People would feel as though their vote mattered more and polling would cover more relevant issues. Policies will be chosen democratically rather than the current state where only those who support the policies of the ultra wealthy can afford to run
3) We won’t have to rely on the benevolence of billionaires to fund arts programs
