Unjust Equal Relations

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unjust Equal Relations

AU - Bengtson, Andreas

PY - 2025/5

Y1 - 2025/5

N2 - According to relational egalitarianism, justice requires equal relations. In this paper, I ask the question: can equal relations be unjust according to relational egalitarianism? I argue that while on some conceptions of relational egalitarianism, equal relations cannot be unjust, there are conceptions in which equal relations can be unjust. Surprisingly, whether equal relations can be unjust cuts across the distinction between responsibility-sensitive and non-responsibility-sensitive conceptions of relational egalitarianism. I then show what follows if one accepts a conception in which equal relations can be unjust, including why it provides a reason to grant some people less political power than others.

AB - According to relational egalitarianism, justice requires equal relations. In this paper, I ask the question: can equal relations be unjust according to relational egalitarianism? I argue that while on some conceptions of relational egalitarianism, equal relations cannot be unjust, there are conceptions in which equal relations can be unjust. Surprisingly, whether equal relations can be unjust cuts across the distinction between responsibility-sensitive and non-responsibility-sensitive conceptions of relational egalitarianism. I then show what follows if one accepts a conception in which equal relations can be unjust, including why it provides a reason to grant some people less political power than others.

KW - Relational egalitarianism

KW - equal relations

KW - justice

KW - political power

KW - responsibility

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85193518369&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0266267124000154

DO - 10.1017/S0266267124000154

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0266-2671

VL - 41

SP - 98

EP - 118

JO - Economics and Philosophy

JF - Economics and Philosophy

IS - 1

ER -