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The Destructive Effects of Inequality : Mary Wollstonecraft and Strong Republican Egalitarianism

Halldenius, Lena LU (2024) In Oxford New Histories of Philosophy
Abstract
The first aim of this chapter is to argue that Mary Wollstonecraft’s approach to inequalities of property and wealth is a form of “non-intrinsic egalitarianism”. The second aim is to nudge republican political theory in our own time towards accepting this approach as part of what freedom requires. Republican theory is not fit for purpose in our contemporary world unless it acknowledges economic inequality as an instrument of domination. Non-intrinsic egalitarianism is the view that economic inequalities are bad due to their detrimental effects on states of affairs that we have reason to value morally. On Wollstonecraft’s version, the values destroyed by wealth inequalities are already egalitarian: living together in a community of equals.... (More)
The first aim of this chapter is to argue that Mary Wollstonecraft’s approach to inequalities of property and wealth is a form of “non-intrinsic egalitarianism”. The second aim is to nudge republican political theory in our own time towards accepting this approach as part of what freedom requires. Republican theory is not fit for purpose in our contemporary world unless it acknowledges economic inequality as an instrument of domination. Non-intrinsic egalitarianism is the view that economic inequalities are bad due to their detrimental effects on states of affairs that we have reason to value morally. On Wollstonecraft’s version, the values destroyed by wealth inequalities are already egalitarian: living together in a community of equals. Inequality is a self-sustaining system of oppression which corrupts the social fabric and makes the poor subservient to the powers of the rich. These are the same reasons that republican thinkers invoke when conceptualising freedom. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
inequality, Human rights, republican freedom, property, poverty, economic power, meritocracy, non-intrinsic egalitarianism
host publication
Woman and Republicanism
series title
Oxford New Histories of Philosophy
editor
Bergès, Sandrine and Coffee, Alan
publisher
Oxford University Press
project
Mary Wollstonecraft and Feminist Republicanism
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8a8748dc-61e9-462b-b9a1-b98df2779b6e
date added to LUP
2024-12-17 10:48:32
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:19:09
@inbook{8a8748dc-61e9-462b-b9a1-b98df2779b6e,
  abstract     = {{The first aim of this chapter is to argue that Mary Wollstonecraft’s approach to inequalities of property and wealth is a form of “non-intrinsic egalitarianism”. The second aim is to nudge republican political theory in our own time towards accepting this approach as part of what freedom requires. Republican theory is not fit for purpose in our contemporary world unless it acknowledges economic inequality as an instrument of domination. Non-intrinsic egalitarianism is the view that economic inequalities are bad due to their detrimental effects on states of affairs that we have reason to value morally. On Wollstonecraft’s version, the values destroyed by wealth inequalities are already egalitarian: living together in a community of equals. Inequality is a self-sustaining system of oppression which corrupts the social fabric and makes the poor subservient to the powers of the rich. These are the same reasons that republican thinkers invoke when conceptualising freedom.}},
  author       = {{Halldenius, Lena}},
  booktitle    = {{Woman and Republicanism}},
  editor       = {{Bergès, Sandrine and Coffee, Alan}},
  keywords     = {{inequality; Human rights; republican freedom; property; poverty; economic power; meritocracy; non-intrinsic egalitarianism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Oxford New Histories of Philosophy}},
  title        = {{The Destructive Effects of Inequality : Mary Wollstonecraft and Strong Republican Egalitarianism}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}