Justice and the Meritocratic State

Like American politics, the academic debate over justice is polarized, with almost all theories of justice falling within one of two traditions: egalitarianism and libertarianism. This book provides an alternative to the partisan standoff by focusing not on equality or liberty, but on the idea that we should give people the things that they deserve. Mulligan sets forth a theory of economic justice—meritocracy—which rests upon a desert principle and is distinctive from existing work in two ways. First, meritocracy is grounded in empirical research on how human beings think, intuitively, about justice. Research in social psychology and experimental economics reveals that people simply don’t think that social goods should be distributed equally, nor do they dismiss the idea of social justice. Across ideological and cultural lines, people believe that rewards should reflect merit. Second, the book discusses hot-button political issues and makes concrete policy recommendations. These issues include anti-meritocratic bias against women and racial minorities and the United States’ widening economic inequality. Justice and the Meritocratic State offers a new theory of justice and provides solutions to our most vexing social and economic problems. It will be of keen interest to philosophers, economists, and political theorists.

"The book has many virtues. First and foremost, it makes a welcome contribution to a still underdeveloped field of research . . . Second, it is refreshing to see a book that does not shy away from attempting to bridge the gap between theory and political practice, with all the dangers and contingencies that this endeavor entails. Third, whether or not one is ultimately convinced by its arguments, the book is written in a clear and engaging style. Mulligan's position on the many issues he addresses is never in doubt . . . In sum, this is a stimulating book that presents the debate surrounding justice as desert in a new light. Everyone who is interested in meritocracy should read it. I am looking forward to Mulligan's future work and the directions in which he will further develop his account presented here." – Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"Justice and the Meritocratic State offers a clear statement and defense of the principle of merit as a principle of economic justice. The book is bursting with interesting arguments and makes admirable use of theories and findings from other disciplines . . . The book merits the attention of anyone interested in economic justice." – Jeppe von Platz in Journal of Moral Philosophy"Justice and the Meritocratic State is constantly challenging, well argued, and resourceful: it deserves a wide readership as perhaps the best recent attempt to redeem a desert-based conception of economic justice." – Colin Bird in Review of Politics

Thomas Mulligan is a Junior Faculty Fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics. Before coming to academia, he served in the U.S. Navy and the Central Intelligence Agency.