Liberal Equality, Exploitation, and the Case for an Unconditional Basic Income

Abstract

This paper considers whether arguments presented in Philippe Van Parijs' Real Freedom for All: What (if Anything) Can Justify Capitalism? succeed in rebutting the objection that the introduction of a substantial unconditional basic income (UBI) would allow non-working citizens to free-ride on the efforts of, and so exploit, working citizens. It considers Van Parjis' ‘external assets argument’ for UBI, and finds that this argument does not succeed in reconciling payment of a substantial UBI with the reciprocity principle which underpins this ‘exploitation objection’. It considers and rejects Van Parijs' implicit claim that the exploitation objection must be grounded in a distributive principle which contradicts the egalitarian commitment to prevent brute luck inequality. It concludes that Van Parjis has failed, thus far, to articulate a convincing response to the exploitation objection.

Retracted: BEING LUCKY AND BEING DESERVING, AND DISTRIBUTION

“… 12 On the question of exploitation by the beneficiaries of an egalitarian redistribution, see the debate between Stuart White and Phillipe Van Parijs (White 1997, Van Parijs 1997). See also (Arneson 1997).…”

Is Youth Unemployment Really the Major Worry?

“…The concept has been debated for a long time (see e.g. White 1997;Van Parijs 1997;Van Der Veen 1998;Tod 2008;Goedemé and Van Lancker 2009). The essence of the idea is that every person, irrespective of age, position, profession etc, would be entitled to receive an amount that provides for a decent standard of living.…”

Einstellungen zur sozialen Mindestsicherung

“…Dies steht teilweise im Einklang mit einer von Stuart White (1997) formulierten Kritik an der Nicht-Konditionalität des garantierten Grundeinkommens, nämlich seine Inkompatibilität mit der Reziprozitätsnorm. Demzufolge besitzen die Normen sozialstaatlicher Distribution dann einen hohen Grad an Akzeptanz, wenn diejenigen, die Transferleistungen erhalten, selbst zur Produktion kollektiver Güter beitragen.…”