Chapter 5: Towards a Materialist Theory of Social Justice

The preceding chapters culminated with Chap. 4 unmasking the fullness of being, in all its ugliness, affecting material quality-of-life issues and their structural and infrastructural links. Examples include poverty, homelessness, hunger, oppression, domination, the subterfuges of hidden power, cultural hegemony, class structure, its infrastructure links and its social consequences, alienation, false beliefs/false consciousness, money and its commodification, its invasion of non-market domains of life, its connection to political power, the privatization of public goods, the commodification of non-market goods, breathtaking disparities in income and wealth distribution, and the commodification of healthcare. This chapter proposes a comprehensive two-pronged remedial program comprising The Ethics of Aspiration and The Ethics of Conduct. At the macro level, the suggested program is aimed at eliminating conflict between capital and labor, maximizing labor force participation and promoting equality by bridging the gap between the rich and poor by redistributing income, wealth, and taxes fairly. At the micro level, it would provide universal healthcare, universal education, a guaranteed minimum pension, and a strong social welfare safety net. In sum, the program seeks to maximize human flourishing for every member of society under the auspices of a democratic governmental structure based on the consent of the people. The chapter concludes with a detailed methodological and philosophical justification for the new program.