SUFFICIENTLY CAPABLE: STRUCTURING A SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that the relevant space for equality in distributive justice is moral, not physical. Physical inequalities should be governed by a principle of modified sufficientarianism—where everybody has enough but nobody has so much that they violate moral equality between persons. I use the capabilities approach to define enough and too much. Finally, I argue for multiple thresholds of capabilities to ensure both sufficiency and moral equality between persons.