The Compatibility of Laissez‐faire With Distributive Justice

Coldwell Daniel

American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 1979, vol. 38, issue 3, 309-318

Abstract: At least some of the more prominent proponents of laissezfaire advocate governmental intervention for the purpose of comprehensively and substantially redistributing income in order to achieve distributive justice. It is questionable, however, that a laissez‐faire system would function in the way that is described by these same proponents if a leveling of income of the sort advocated were to be instituted. This is so because the postulates of human behavior on which the proper workings of the system are based would be rendered ineffectual as a consequence of such intervention. Indeed, if a system of laissez‐faire is to work well, there is required a certain ethos which precludes significant intervention in the name of distributive justice.

Date: 1979
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