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Democracy and Equality.md

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bibtex: @article{wall2007democracy,
  title={Democracy and equality},
  author={Wall, Steven},
  journal={The Philosophical Quarterly},
  volume={57},
  number={228},
  pages={416--438},
  year={2007},
  publisher={Wiley Online Library}
}
---

Democracy and Equality

Thesis: Supports democratic instrumentalism by undermining the egalitarian argument for democracy.

EAD in ideal form:

  • PI. Every citizen's life is equally morally important (or is of equal moral worth)
  • P2. Consequently fully legitimate political institutions, including institutions that distribute political standing, must show equal regard for all citizens
  • P3. Political institutions that do not distribute political standing equally to all citizens fail to show equal regard for all citizens
  • P4. Only democratic governments distribute political standing equally to all citizens
  • C. Therefore only democratic governments are fully legitimate.

The political standing to be equally distributed can be either political resources or political status.

"Equality of votes is therefore compatible with great inequalities in political power." p420

Not all inequalities in political power are unjust. Some political power comes from skill at communication, interest, effort, and knowledge.

"The (EAD) holds that institutions should treat citizens with equal regard. It does not, at least not obviously, hold that institutions should treat the views of citizens with equal regard." p434

"The appeal to the autonomy interests of citizens grounds at most a claim to have some opportunity to make a difference in political life." p438

"expressive considerations, the need to resolve aggregation issues correctly, and the interests citizens have in political participation all provide some support for democratic government. Whether they are robust enough to justify a strong and unwavering commitment to democracy is not an issue that has been explored here. What can be asserted is that so far as these considerations are sound, they provide support for democratic govern- ment, but no vindication of the ideal of political equality." p438