Why Global Justice Matters: Moral Progress in a Divided World

by Chris Armstrong

While many are born into prosperity, hundreds of millions of people lead lives of almost unimaginable poverty. Our world remains hugely unequal, with our place of birth continuing to exert a major influence on our opportunities. In this accessible book, leading political theorist Chris Armstrong engagingly examines the key moral and political questions raised by this stark global divide. Why, as a citizen of a relatively wealthy country, should you care if others have to make do with less? Do we have a moral duty to try to rectify this state of affairs? What does 'global justice' mean anyway - and why does it matter? Could we make our world a more just one even if we tried? Can you as an individual make a difference? This book powerfully demonstrates that global justice is something we should all be concerned about, and sketches a series of reforms that would make our divided world a fairer one. It will be essential introductory reading for students of global justice, activists and concerned citizens.

121 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2019

Reviews

[Emily Reeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was assigned to read the first chapter of this book for a class and yet I got drawn into finishing it because of one idea, which I will explore here. That society is uncomfortable with the idea that our place is based on inheritance, yet is complicit in maintaining a world where your place of birth influences your prospects. In a meritocracy people are constantly trying to prove they deserve something and therefore if they could bring themselves out of poverty and into wealth so can someone else. But that type of thinking is what further reproduces inequality. If you were never given a chance you cannot possibly achieve the same result.

I appreciated how this book tied together the debate/discussion of global injustice with tangible solutions for not only politicians but for the consumer.