Social Justice Principles (New Edition) -- The Second Series of Modern Political Translations

Author: (English) Miller, translated by Ying Qi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Socialism is an active ideal that runs through 20th-century democratic politics. Even those who oppose it have become aware of its potential. However, the meaning of socialism remains obscure, and the existing theories proposed by political philosophers to explain it fail to capture the way ordinary people think about socialist issues. This book presents a new theory. David Miller argues that justice principles must be understood in context, with each principle being identified in different forms of human association. Due to the complexity of modern society, political theory must also be complex. The justice theory presented in this book differs from most other recent theories developed in political philosophy, not only in being more sensitive to prevailing views but also in paying closer attention to the social context in which justice principles are situated. This focus reduces the abstraction of the theory. I believe it also enhances the political relevance of the theory. I have also keenly felt the vast gap between the social justice views defended by political philosophers, especially those we call egalitarian liberals, and the types of policy reforms suitable for today's liberal societies, during the process of writing this book. Of course, social justice is often, and must often be, a critical concept—a concept that challenges our institutions and practices in the name of greater fairness—but it should not be a simple utopia.