What is the central claim of egalitarian theories of justice?

• A. Doctrines affirming that important benefits and burdens of society should be distributed equally.
• B. Doctrines holding that benefits should be distributed by market forces.
• C. Doctrines asserting that distribution maximizes utility.
• D. Doctrines requiring government control of all resources.

Answer: (D)

Egalitarian theories of justice center on treating people as moral equals, which in practice means aiming for a relatively equal distribution of the social goods that matter for a decent life. The central claim is that important benefits and burdens of society should be distributed equally among individuals. This emphasis on equal distribution sets egalitarianism apart from approaches that let markets allocate goods (which often produce unequal outcomes) or that seek to maximize total or average happiness (utilitarianism). It also differs from the idea of government ownership of everything, which goes beyond what egalitarian justice typically requires.