Kristol, "a Capitalist Conception Of Justice"

Front 1

What exactly is economic equality and how doesit relate to “social justice”?

Back 1

“Social justice” used to stretch the idea ofjustice that is compatible with capitalism to cover economic equality as well. It is incompatible with capitalism though, there is no equality in capitalism.Egalitarian direction that inevitably all differences are seen sooner or laterto be unjust. A person who believes in social justice is an egalitarian. Moreinterested in equality than a capitalist system.

Front 2

What is the relation of capitalism to social,political, and legal equality?

Back 2

Legal equality is with the law

Political equality is with all having the same rights...

....

Front 3

What does it mean to say that “a person who believes in social justiceis an egalitarian”?

Back 3

This does not mean that the person believes inperfect equality, as almost no one does, but that people who believe in socialjustice advocate for equality. Social justice advocates are terribly interested in far more justice than capitalists. Capitalists believe in economic opportunity equality not economic equality.

Front 4

What exactly does capitalism promise? Does itpromise economic equality?

Back 4

Capitalism has always promised unequality, butthe equality of economic opportunity, reasonably to mean the absence ofofficial barriers to economic opportunity. Capitalism says that if someone hasa musical talent or an athletic skill this is simply luck and no one could takethat person’s right for such a skill. In capitalism people will use theirnatural assets as much as they will permit. In terms of the pursuit ofhappiness, Adam Smith would say, “better his condition” Capitalism says thatequal opportunity will result in everyone bettering his or her condition. EvenMarx couldn’t deny this fact of capitalism.

Front 5

How are the needs of the lessfortunate/successful treated by the free-market economy?

Back 5

Successful people are treated nicely by thefree-market economy. People are paid based off their productive input to theeconomy. The public tastes are expressed in this free market economy, forexample if people want to watch others play basketball, than the market willgive those who are good at basketball at least 400,000 dollars a year to playthe sport. On the other hand sports like croquet players are brilliant and worktheir entire lives perfecting the sport yet this is not what the economy wants,so they get paid very little. People are paid based off their particular skillsin terms of how much they can contribute to the marketplace. It rewards people in terms of their contribution to the economy. Capitalism assumes that since everyone gets more everyone ought to be content. If one receives less from the economy than they get a smaller reward.

Front 6

What were Adam Smith’s views on capitalism beinga heartless system?

Back 6

Smith’s views were not so heartless as to let thementally ill or lame or those with bad luck were to suffer or starve to death.No, he believed men and women are sympathetic towards other human beings.

Front 7

How does Kristol appeal to Adam Smith’s viewsabout how the rich behave in order to claim that it is not true that capitalismis a heartless system? Is Kristol correct?

Back 7

The rich can only consume so much, theirextreme excess wealth will be used to make a publicly good name for themselvesand reinvest, redistribute their personal wealth to better everyone.

Front 8

How does Kristol use the history of thebourgeoisie in order to claim that it is not true that capitalism is aheartless system? Is Kristol correct?

Back 8

Since the end of the eighteenth century thebourgeoisie have redistributed their wealth with a sense of responsibilitytoward others. The bourgeoisie were the ones that kept up a good reputation of capitalist system because they were the ones advocating for changes not the aristocrats or peasants.

Front 9

How did Ricardo and Malthus change theperception of capitalism?

Back 9

Malthus claims that trying to solve socialinequality will result in those who were poor to reproduce more children orspend so much until they are poor again, if they were able to get more money at first. Ricardo claims that there is a finiteamount of resources to make everyone wealthy so the focus should be toredistribute wealth and create more social justice since there isn’t enough togo around.

Front 10

Why exactly does “social justice” have anauthoritarian thrust (push) according to Kristol?

Back 10

Social justice proposes social ideas that canbe regulated and completed through the authoritative control of government andin order to be successful it takes full authoritative knowledge as to whateveryone merits or deserves in terms of distribution of income and wealth.

Front 11

What does Kristol mean when he says that “anyonewho promises you a just society on earth is a fraud and a charlatan (person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill)”?

Back 11

If a person is aiming for a just society thenthey will be looking towards authoritative control to abolish or get rid ofproblems, however these problems will just reappear somewhere else they willnot be removed just moved. Economic equality is intended to give the individualthe ability and freedom to get out of their economic position on their own.