Part I: On Justice 1. Why Meritocracy? 2. The Metatheory of Justice 3. What We Believe about Justice 4. The Concept of Desert Part II: A Meritocratic Theory of Economic Justice 5. On the Distribution of Income 6. On the Distribution of Jobs 7. Defending Desert from the Left and the Right Part III: Meritocratic Public Policy 8. Public Spending and the Establishment of Equal Opportunity 9. Meritocratic Tax Theory 10. Justice in Our Lifetimes
Biography
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.
"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
