Global Poverty, Injustice, and Resistance: What if Theories of Justice Can’t Motivate Action?

What is the point of a theory of justice if it can’t motivate action? Does political philosophy need to inspire action in the real world?

Theories of justice are expected to provide guidance that can be followed by most people (ought implies can).

Global egalitarianism, which would require a large-scale redistribution of wealth between the Global North and Global South, has be criticised for failing to satisfy this condition. Most people are not sufficiently motivated sacrifice their lifestyles and relationships to assist distant strangers that they will never meet and have little in common. Mere humanity is not seen to be enough. This ‘motivation critique’ is rooted in the notion that justice requires solidarity and usually has the premise that solidarity beyond borders is not sufficient to motivate action. People need national or state-based communities to sustain distributive social institutions.

This critique is compelling and certainly when levelled against philosophers like Peter Singer has some bite. However, where it is fatally flawed is that it only speaks to solidarity between wealthy people and poor distant strangers.

It does not talk about the capacity of those living in the Global South to be motivated by principles of justice and shared oppression. This is part of wider neglect of disadvantaged people as actual agents in global ethics and political philosophy.