> The difference is this: a right to something is roughly a claim to that
> thing that can't be taken away from you without violating justice. But
> "food" is perishable and the needs for are very varied. Do my kids have a
> right to all the pizza and ice cream they can eat? Or just to enough tofu
> and rice to sustain life?
>
> You have to be able to say what the right is _to_, you see, or the claim
> that there is a right is empty. By contrast, if we say that everyone has a
> right to enough money to live a decent life, whether in the formof a job
> that pays reasonable remuneration or direct grants, we have something that
> we can actually sensibly guarantee and provide. If you have a right to a
job
> or a subsidy, and you don;t have it, you can make a demand for something
> specific and get it. If you claim a right to "food," what are you
claiming?
> Me, I claim a right to lobster tails, truffles, and caviar. Give it to me.
>