The Ethics of Stakeholding

'Which way forward for our welfare states? No promising answer can be given to this question without a resolute broadening of the narrow limits of what looks politically possible. But no sensible answer can be given to this question without our reflecting both on underlying principles and specific designs, as in this lucid, demanding, multi-faceted dialogue on basic income versus basic endowment.' - Philippe Van Parijs, Professor of Economic and Social Ethics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium Secretary of the Basic Income European Network

'The past twenty years have seen a massive increase in the inequality of incomes and, even more, in the inequality of wealth. Governments have responded by increasing the number of means-tested benefits, which are both degrading and (partly for this reason) not taken up by many who are eligible. The obvious solution is to distribute wealth and income unconditionally, at the expense of those who have so much as to threaten the foundations of human solidarity and democracy. This book contains the best available discussion of alternative ways of realizing freedom and social justice in this way. The editors are to be congratulated on having cunningly included one mean-spirited and misguided contribution which serves as a foil to the others.' - Brian Barry, Lieber Professor in Political Philosophy, Columbia University, USA, and Emeritus Professor of Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science