Theory, Ideal Theory and the Theory of Ideals

Hamlin, Alan; Stemplowska, Zofia

doi:10.1111/j.1478-9302.2011.00244.x

Cited by 124 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The recent debate on ideal and non-ideal theory revealed ways in which we can interpret action guidance paradox of ideal theory and how it is possible to respond to it from the standpoint of ideal theory (Robeyns 2008;Swift 2008;Valentini 2009;Hamlin and Stemplowska 2012 (Swift 2008, p. 374). These are indeed relevant issues, each one deserving careful examination.…”

Section: The Content Of Non-ideal Theory: a Theory Of Action-guidancementioning

confidence: 99%

A Case of Non-Ideal Guidance: Tackling Tax Competition

Sayegh

2017

Moral Philosophy and Politics

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In the global justice literature, growing attention has been given to problems particular to a globalised economy such as tax competition. Political philosophers have started to reflect on how these problems intersect with theories of global justice. This paper explores the idea according to which action-guiding principles of justice can only be formulated at such intersections. This is the starting point from which I develop a 'non-ideal theory' of global justice. The methodology of this theory posits that principles of justice are formulated according to the practice they are intended to regulate. Individual practices provide insights about the formulation of principles, for the non-ideal circumstances that prevent the realisation of justice are only revealed through the interpretation of each practice. With regard to the content of principles, I reject the notion that non-ideal theory is applied ideal theory. I offer instead an overview of the main features of a conception of justice for a non-ideal world based on the ideas of compliance, fact-sensitivity, feasibility and pathdependence. The contribution of this paper is twofold: to provide the conceptual framework for an action-guiding non-ideal theory of global justice and to show why this theory is well-suited to address problems of a globalised economy, such as tax competition.

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Section: The Content Of Non-ideal Theory: a Theory Of Action-guidancementioning

confidence: 99%

A Case of Non-Ideal Guidance: Tackling Tax Competition

Sayegh

2017

Moral Philosophy and Politics

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“…77 -78). Note that the belief in rational agreement and consensus on certain substantive values is insensitive to political reality does not just entail that that belief is merely practically difficult to achieve but nonetheless conceivable (pace Gutmann & Thompson, 2012;Philp, 2007;Valentini, 2012;Hamlin & Stemplowska, 2012;Freeden, 2012). What is at stake here is not merely a matter of practical 'feasibility' or 'constraint' but rather a question of what should be seen as plausible even in theory, even under the most ideal of circumstances.…”

Section: Compromise Integrity and Democratic Politics: A Critique Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Political Integrity and Dirty Hands: Compromise and the Ambiguities of Betrayal

Tillyris

2016

Res Publica

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The claim that democratic politics is the art of compromise is a platitude but we seem allergic to compromise in politics when it happens. This essay explores this paradox. Taking my cue from Machiavelli's claim that there exists a rift between a morally admirable and a virtuous political life I argue that: i) a 'compromising disposition' is an ambiguous virtue -something which is politically expedient but not necessarily morally admirable; ii) whilst uncongenial to moral integrity, a 'compromising disposition' constitutes an essential part of political integrity. In so doing, I question certain moralistic assumptions which fuel contemporary vilifications of compromise -that, in theory, democratic politics should be inhospitable to compromise and that political integrity should be akin to moral integrity -and which are shared by Walzer's Dirty Hands thesis which professes to be sensitive to the realities of politics. These assumptions displace the complex realities of politics and misconstrue the standards of political excellence; they unsatisfactorily idealize political integrity and the messy context in which democratic politicians operate -a context characterized by a plurality of incompatible traditions, each with its own values and principles. Whilst commitment to a set of principles stemming from one's tradition or pre-election promises implies commitment to realize these, leading a virtuous political life amidst such a grubby domain often requires abandoning some of these. An innocent, all-or-nothing pursuit of one's principles in politics might prompt political disaster or defeat: an uncompromising disposition entails the entire abandonment of any hope of realizing all of those principles. KeywordsCompromise, political integrity, dirty hands, democratic politics, moral conflict, betrayal Politics, especially in its democratic form, it is often said, is the art of compromise (Wittman, 1995;Elshtain, 1995). And yet, despite being widely practiced in politics, compromise is largely ignored by philosophers Fumurescu, 2013). "Compromise", Margalit writes, seems "messy, the dreary stuff of dayto-day politics" (2012, pp. 5-6). At best, even those who concede that compromise might obtain in practice tend to view it as an unnecessary feature of democratic politics -something which is, at least in theory, avoidable 1 .At worst, practitioners of compromise are often degraded as unprincipled altogether. "A politician", Mencken remarks, must "make so many compromises that he becomes indistinguishable from a streetwalker" (1946, p. 4 ).A 'compromising disposition' 2 , Mencken suggests, is an unacceptable quality: it signals the lack of integrity. This negative view of compromise extends beyond the confines of philosophical analysis (c.f. Gutmann & Thompson, 2012;Benjamin, 1990). Consider the press reaction to the 2010 Liberal Democrat-Conservative Coalition, where both parties abandoned some of their pre-election pledges to become partners in government. "Clegg", The Guardian reports, "became tarnished by … b...

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“…see Hamlin and Stemplowska 2010, Valentini 2009, Swift 2008. Nonetheless, despite their differences, scholars recognise that ideal theories of justice contain two simultaneous features:…”

Section: Justice As An Ideal Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

From the Idea of Justice to the Idea of Injustice: Mixing the Ideal, Non-Ideal and Dynamic Conceptions of Injustice

Vazquez

2013

SSRN Journal

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Theory, Ideal Theory and the Theory of Ideals

Cited by 124 publications

References 29 publications

A Case of Non-Ideal Guidance: Tackling Tax Competition

A Case of Non-Ideal Guidance: Tackling Tax Competition

Political Integrity and Dirty Hands: Compromise and the Ambiguities of Betrayal

From the Idea of Justice to the Idea of Injustice: Mixing the Ideal, Non-Ideal and Dynamic Conceptions of Injustice

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