But what is perfectly just distribution? Everyone getting exactly the same with no possibility of differentials existing between people? Or everyone getting the same base living standard which they can supplement if they choose to?
Brian
"Perfectly just" was a tongue-in-cheek comment but when all needs and whatever forms of reinvestment are deemed necessary are fulfilled having the remainder divided equally is more just than any system I have seen proposed. Needs are not going to be the same for everyone however.
In the example I gave the needs of the quadriplegic man will be greater than the healthy man.
The reality is that in order for us to as closely approximate equal opportunity sets for both of them the quadriplegic man would in sum total actually receive more remuneration that the other man because his needs dictate this. The amount alloted to each after their needs are met would be identical however regardless of the amount of work or effort put forth. The idea that we must fear too few people working and too many people loafing is unfounded as far as I can see. People are just projecting the fucked up climate of today into the future when the worry about such things. Why would individuals raised in a society that valued cooperation above competition and contribution above reward be the lazy shits people on this list worry about? There will be some small number to be certain but there is no reason to assume they will constitute a significant portion of the population or that they will be numerous enough to cause harm. Unequal remuneration will by its very nature cause inequality in other areas. Much greater harm is caused by unequal income and rewarding desires that can only be satisfied if one has greater income relative to others. This is poisonous to just social relationships. Rather than worry about freeloaders why not be far more concerned with the pathological behaviour of those who can only feel motivated, fulfilled, etc. by having a higher level of remuneration relative to others. This is a far greater problem. It creates unequal access to most of what society offers, hardly a condition worth fostering. This in turn creates the need for further social expenditures to attempt to combat this problem. This is all conjectural and none of this can be known with any degree of certainty but it is an interesting thought experiment partly because it exposes peoples real concerns today.
John Thornton