This book makes a significant contribution to the tradition of liberal political theory: it explores the foundations and limits of the idea of equality within that theory and offers a sustained argument for a persuasive new view of liberalism. Liberal thinking has always displayed a tension between the claims of liberty and those of equality. Professor Gutmann examines the contributions of liberal theorists from Locke to Rawls on the subject of two kinds of equality - equality of opportunity to participate and the equal distribution of economic goods. Valuing both, she shows that, far from being alternatives, the two ideals are compatible to a much greater degree than has previously been thought. Liberal Equality restores egalitarianism to political theory in a way that will forcefully challenge its critics to deeper reflection.

Liberal Equality

Politics & Social Sciences

Amy Gutmann

Philosophy

Cambridge University Press

In America today, the problem of achieving racial justice--whether through "color-blind" policies or through affirmative action--provokes more noisy name-calling than fruitful deliberation. In Color Conscious, K. Anthony Appiah and Amy Gutmann, two eminent moral and political philosophers, seek to clear the ground for a discussion of the place of race in politics and in our moral lives. Provocative and insightful, their essays tackle different aspects of the question of racial justice; together they provide a compelling response to our nation's most vexing problem.
 Appiah begins by establishing the problematic nature of the idea of race. He draws on the scholarly consensus that "race" has no legitimate biological basis, exploring the history of its invention as a social category and showing how the concept has been used to explain differences among groups of people by mistakenly attributing various "essences" to them. Appiah argues that, while people of color may still need to gather together, in the face of racism, under the banner of race, they need also to balance carefully the calls of race against the many other dimensions of individual identity; and he suggests, finally, what this might mean for our political life.
 Gutmann examines alternative political responses to racial injustice. She argues that American politics cannot be fair to all citizens by being color blind because American society is not color blind. Fairness, not color blindness, is a fundamental principle of justice. Whether policies should be color-conscious, class conscious, or both in particular situations, depends on an open-minded assessment of their fairness. Exploring timely issues of university admissions, corporate hiring, and political representation, Gutmann develops a moral perspective that supports a commitment to constitutional democracy.
 Appiah and Gutmann write candidly and carefully, presenting many-faceted interpretations of a host of controversial issues. Rather than supplying simple answers to complex questions, they offer to citizens of every color principled starting points for the ongoing national discussions about race.

Color Conscious

K. Anthony Appiah

Princeton University Press

To govern in a democracy, political leaders have to compromise. When they do not, the result is political paralysis―dramatically demonstrated by the gridlock in Congress in recent years. In The Spirit of Compromise, eminent political thinkers Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson show why compromise is so important, what stands in the way of achieving it, and how citizens can make defensible compromises more likely. They urge politicians to focus less on campaigning and more on governing. In a new preface, the authors reflect on the state of compromise in Congress since the book's initial publication.
Calling for greater cooperation in contemporary politics, The Spirit of Compromise will interest everyone who cares about making government work better for the good of all.

The Spirit of Compromise: Why Governing Demands It and Campaigning Undermines It - Updated Edition

Dennis Thompson

Ethics And Politics: Cases And Comments

The third edition of this casebook helps students recognize and assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral arguments in the making of public policy. Part one considers the ethics of process: the morally questionable means--violence, deception, and corruption--that are most commonly used by public officials. Part two discusses the ehics of policy: the valuable but often competing ends that public officials strive to achieve. Conflicting values, scarce resources, and stakes as high as life and death combine with the duties of public office to make choices among policy goals controversial and morally difficult. In both parts, each ethical issue is paired with case studies in contemporary American politics. For example, the decision to defend organ transplants in Arizona introduces competing theories of justice; decisions by the FDA to ban AIDS-testing at home and by the New York legislature to ban dwarf-tossing as entertainment in bars illuminate the issues of liberty, paternalism, and moralism.

Ethics and politics: Cases and comments

Nelson/Hall

Learn to recognize and assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral arguments in the making of public policy with ETHICS AND POLITICS: CASES AND COMMENTS. You'll find coverage of the ethics of process: the morally questionable means--violence, deception, and corruption--that are most commonly used by public officials, as well as the ethics of policy: the valuable but often competing ends that public officials strive to achieve. Conflicting values, scarce resources, and stakes as high as life and death combine with the duties of public office to make choices among policy goals controversial and morally difficult. Each ethical issue is paired with case studies in contemporary American politics. For example, the controversy over the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay; or issues during the campaign and election of 2004.

Ethics and Politics: Cases and Comments

Burnham Inc Pub.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Amy Gutmann. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Amy Gutmann

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Amy Gutmann. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Liberal Equality

Liberal Equality

Color Conscious

The Spirit of Compromise: Why Governing Demands It and Campaigning Undermines It - Updated Edition

Ethics and politics: Cases and comments

Ethics and Politics: Cases and Comments