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When bad things happen to good people

Author

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  • Jens Damgaard Thaysen

    (Aarhus University, Denmark)

  • Andreas Albertsen

    (Aarhus University, Denmark)

Abstract

According to luck egalitarianism, it is not unfair when people are disadvantaged by choices they are responsible for. This implies that those who are disadvantaged by choices that prevent disadvantage to others are not eligible for compensation. This is counterintuitive. We argue that the problem such cases pose for luck egalitarianism reveals an important distinction between responsibility for creating disadvantage and responsibility for distributing disadvantage which has hitherto been overlooked. We develop and defend a version of luck egalitarianism which only holds people responsible for creating disadvantage. This revision enables luck egalitarianism to offer compensation to those who are disadvantaged by preventing disadvantage to others, like dependent caretakers, without compromising the responsibility–sensitivity at the heart of luck egalitarianism.

Suggested Citation

  • Jens Damgaard Thaysen & Andreas Albertsen, 2017. "When bad things happen to good people," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 16(1), pages 93-112, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pophec:v:16:y:2017:i:1:p:93-112
    DOI: 10.1177/1470594X16666017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zofia Stemplowska, 2009. "Making Justice Sensitive to Responsibility," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 57(2), pages 237-259, June.
    2. Vito Peragine & Flaviana Palmisano & Paolo Brunori, 2014. "Economic Growth and Equality of Opportunity," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(2), pages 247-281.
    3. Bou-Habib, Paul, 2006. "Compulsory Insurance without Paternalism," Utilitas, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(3), pages 243-263, September.
    4. Williams, Andrew, 2013. "How Gifts And Gambles Preserve Justice," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 29(1), pages 65-85, March.
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