Equality of Talent

If one is an egalitarian, what should one want to equalize? Opportunities or outcomes? Resources or welfare? These positions are usually conceived to be very different. I argue in this paper that the distinction is misconceived: the only coherent conception of resource equality implies welfare equality, in an appropriately abstract description of the problem. In this section, I motivate the program which the rest of the paper carries out.

[1]  J. Mirrlees,et al.  Utilitarianism and beyond: The economic uses of utilitarianism , 1982 .

[2]  H. Varian Equity, Envy and Efficiency , 1974 .

[3]  Ronald Dworkin,et al.  What is Equality? Part 1: Equality of Welfare , 1981 .

[4]  C. John,et al.  Utilitarianism and beyond: Morality and the theory of rational behaviour , 1982 .

[5]  J. Roemer EXPLOITATION, ALTERNATIVES AND SOCIALISM* , 1982 .

[6]  A. Tversky,et al.  Prospect theory: analysis of decision under risk , 1979 .

[7]  R. Sugden,et al.  Regret Theory: An alternative theory of rational choice under uncertainty Review of Economic Studies , 1982 .

[8]  Amartya Sen,et al.  Utilitarianism and beyond: Contents , 1982 .

[9]  H. Varian,et al.  Theories of Justice Based on Symmetry , 1984 .

[10]  A. Tversky,et al.  Prospect Theory : An Analysis of Decision under Risk Author ( s ) : , 2007 .

[11]  P. Dasgupta,et al.  Fully progressive taxation , 1980 .

[12]  Alan R. White,et al.  Taking Rights Seriously. , 1977 .

[13]  Serge-Christophe Kolm,et al.  Justice et équité , 1972 .

[14]  A. Sen,et al.  Utilitarianism and Welfarism , 1979 .

[15]  Ronald Dworkin,et al.  What is Equality? Part 2: Equality of Resources , 1981 .

[16]  Jan Narveson On Dworkinian Equality , 1983 .

[17]  Daniel McFadden,et al.  Essays on economic behavior under uncertainty , 1976 .

[18]  M. Machina "Expected Utility" Analysis without the Independence Axiom , 1982 .

[19]  J. Roemer Equality of Resources Implies Equality of Welfare , 1986 .

[20]  A. Sen,et al.  Utilitarianism and Beyond , 1982 .

[21]  John Rawls,et al.  Social unity and primary goods , 1982 .

[22]  A. Sen,et al.  Rational Fools: A Critique of the Behavioral Foundations of Economic Theory , 1977 .