Word: unjust
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...wealth or income is to show that a social problem exists. The only question that remains is how to change it. Robert Nozick, professor of Philosophy, challenges this assumption arguing that an unequal income distribution is not necessarily wrong, and that any state which pursues egalitarian goals is inherently unjust. In support, Nozick introduces a new theory of distributive justice...
...game to see Wilt play and the other half don't care about basketball and don't go to any games. A million fans go to see Wilt play in a year and he earns $250,000, much more than anyone else. In what sense would this inequality be unjust? Those who did not go to see Wilt play are in no sense worse off, they have made no sacrifice. They had nothing to do with a deal between the fans and Wilt in which both were made better...
Enforcing the egalitarian pattern in this case would be unjust. Nozick argues, because it would prevent citizens from the free exercise of their preferences, even though they hurt no one else. In fact, enforcing any distribution pattern would involve continual interference with people's lives to prevent them from making transfers that would violate the pattern. A society which enforced equal income distribution would have to forbid people from doing things for other people for money after work. The government would have to outlaw capitalist acts between consenting adults. This restricts both what a person can do with his life...
There would be, therefore, no incompatibility between liberty and justice or trade-off between efficiency and equity. This does not, however, justify the present income and wealth distribution either. Because of the many government interventions that have provided unjust benefits to the rich, they would have to pay indemnities to those injured by these interventions, under Nozick's principle of rectification. Nevertheless, the theory does justify the income distribution that would arise from a laissez-faire, free market, economy. The importance of Nozick's theory cannot be overestimated. His challenge goes right to the heart of the argument for socialism...
...countryside while Chiang's troops remained isolated in the cities. Meanwhile, as inflation soared and long-delayed reforms did not materialize, popular support of the Nationalists vanished. Basically, Chiang and his Kuomintang had failed to address themselves to the essential problems of China: rural poverty, illiteracy, unjust taxation, usury and excessive land rents. His idea of revolution was a conservative one: the New Life Movement, which sought to revive filial piety and other Confucian virtues, appealed only to the established minority. Mao's revolution, promising land reform and a total upheaval of the old system, attracted millions...