Social Justice in the Liberal State is a book of political philosophy written by Bruce A. Ackerman. It examines the foundations of liberalism and liberal democracy. Ackerman addresses the positive case for a liberalism that glorifies neither the state bureaucracy nor the private market.
To Ackerman, liberalism is a kind of structured conversation in which verbal negotiation among those with differing visions of the good life is an alternative to the exercise of naked power. He argues that the premises of a course of contract reasoning can be manipulated so as to yield (more or less) any conclusion that the theorist has some antecedent interest in producing. The social contract is the contract which would be confirmed by the entire population, under ideal conditions, after perfect and complete consideration.
Ackerman offers a suggestion for determining whether any persons among a genetically diverse group are genetically disadvantaged, arguing that to be genetically undominated, a person must possess a set of abilities that permit him to pursue some life purpose that some persons have, with as much facility as any other person is able to pursue that life purpose. He asserts that every person has a right to be genetically undominated.
Ackerman defends the privatization of religious convictions. Ackerman argues for a maximal separation doctrine in that religion does not have an appropriate place in the public realm of a liberal democracy. The book also briefly suggests "responsive lotteries", prototypes of lottery voting as a way to decide issues but leaves the question hanging in the air by inviting others to devote more serious thought to lottery voting.
See also Political philosophy Social contract Social justice
References
External links Social Justice in the Liberal State at Yale University Press Related works Citizenship: European and Global at Universitetet i Oslos Common schooling and educational choice at Washington University in St. Louis Just Health Care and the Two Solidarities at Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies Religious Virtues, Religious Vices at George Mason University Scholastic inclusion Public Lectures Academic Year 2002/2003 at Collegium Budapest Institute for Advanced Study SOC321 Social Justice at Lingnan University PH 3538 Social and Political Philosophy at University of Aberdeen Social Justice Resources at Colorado Christian University