Review Essay on John Tomasi’s: “Free Market Fairness”

Abstract

Free market fairness is a book written by a brilliant philosopher from Brown University, one of the most prestigious institution of higher learning on the planet. He sets for himself a task worthy of his own and his school's reputation: setting up a new philosophy, called "market democracy." It is to be an amalgam of classical liberalism, which he deems to be of the right, and what he characterizes as "high liberalism," or social justice, or progressivism, or Rawlsianism which is properly categorized as on the left. Does he succeed in this endeavor? I cannot believe that he does. But, he makes a valiant effort in this direction, which is replete with numerous insights in political economic philosophy. However, his efforts are also marred by what I am unhappy to report as many fallacies, some even very basic. This is a good read, although it will be infuriating to Rothbardian (purist) libertarians, such as the present author.