4 political theory/philosophy books that I read in 2025 which are...
Steven N. Durlauf@sndurlauf
23 views
Dec 31, 2025
~2 min read
Advertisement
1
4 political theory/philosophy books that I read in 2025 which are especially valuable on inequality and justice.
1. Daniel Halliday, The Inheritance of Wealth: Justice, Equality, & the Right to Bequeath
Daniel Halliday develops a broad ranging set of arguments in favor of strong limits to inheritance, focusing on the capacity of unchecked inheritance to create persistent socioeconomic stratification and segregation across generations. This leads to an interesting argument that there is a qualitatively different justification for inheritances that affect children versus those that affect more distant descendants, leading him to discuss what he calls a "Rignano scheme" to limit intergenerational transmission.
1. Daniel Halliday, The Inheritance of Wealth: Justice, Equality, & the Right to Bequeath
Daniel Halliday develops a broad ranging set of arguments in favor of strong limits to inheritance, focusing on the capacity of unchecked inheritance to create persistent socioeconomic stratification and segregation across generations. This leads to an interesting argument that there is a qualitatively different justification for inheritances that affect children versus those that affect more distant descendants, leading him to discuss what he calls a "Rignano scheme" to limit intergenerational transmission.
2
2. Philip Kitcher: The Main Enterprise of the World: Rethinking Education
Philip Kitcher is one of the world's most distinguished philosophers (and an intellectual hero). In this book, he develops an extraordinarily rich vision of education as integral to what constitutes a good society, which deep implications for its organization. Kitcher follows John Dewey in focusing on education's role in forming "fundamental dispositions" of the citizenry. Are the proposals that Kitcher makes utopian? Perhaps. But his vision is profoundly moral and humane.
Philip Kitcher is one of the world's most distinguished philosophers (and an intellectual hero). In this book, he develops an extraordinarily rich vision of education as integral to what constitutes a good society, which deep implications for its organization. Kitcher follows John Dewey in focusing on education's role in forming "fundamental dispositions" of the citizenry. Are the proposals that Kitcher makes utopian? Perhaps. But his vision is profoundly moral and humane.
3
3. Gina Schouten, The Anatomy of Justice: On the Shape, Substance, and Power of Liberal Egalitarianism
Liberal egalitarians could have no better champion that Gina Schouten. Schouten argues that the foundation of liberal egalitarianism is a set of values as opposed to a set of principles. In her view, “properly understood, liberal values entail a deep critique of sexism, racism, and economic inequality." As such, Schouten argues that liberal values lead to broader conceptions of how society should promote equality than are conventional.
Liberal egalitarians could have no better champion that Gina Schouten. Schouten argues that the foundation of liberal egalitarianism is a set of values as opposed to a set of principles. In her view, “properly understood, liberal values entail a deep critique of sexism, racism, and economic inequality." As such, Schouten argues that liberal values lead to broader conceptions of how society should promote equality than are conventional.
4
4. Nicholas Vrousalis, The Political Philsophy of G. A. Cohen
Nicholas Vrousalis provides a very clear and comprehensive synthesis of G. A. Cohen's thought, with particular attention to its evolution across time. I find Cohen's critique of Rawls to be especially powerful. Further, Cohen's distinction between liberal and socialist conceptions of equality of opportunity is important and I think integral to disagreements about meritocracy as a principle.
Nicholas Vrousalis provides a very clear and comprehensive synthesis of G. A. Cohen's thought, with particular attention to its evolution across time. I find Cohen's critique of Rawls to be especially powerful. Further, Cohen's distinction between liberal and socialist conceptions of equality of opportunity is important and I think integral to disagreements about meritocracy as a principle.