Question

A goal for a society is to distribute resources more equally and fairly. How might you distribute resources if everyone were equally talented and worked equally hard? What if people had different talents and some people worked hard, while others did not?

Answer 1

In a society where everyone was equally talented and worked equally hard, resources could be distributed equally. However, because talent and work ethic vary, distributive justice suggests balancing equal rights with equity and potential reward for contributions that benefit the disadvantaged.

Step-by-step explanation:

If everyone were equally talented and worked equally hard, resources could theoretically be distributed equally to ensure fairness. However, the world is diverse with people having different talents and levels of ambition. Therefore, distributive justice comes into play which argues for the fair allocation of goods and services within society. According to principles outlined by philosophers like John Rawls, resources could be distributed under two fundamental guidelines:

1. Ensuring everyone has the same basic liberties and rights.
2. Allowing inequalities only to the extent that they benefit the least well-off, which aligns with the ethos that the well-being of each individual contributes to the welfare of society as a whole.

For instance, an inventor receiving a higher income for a beneficial invention could be justified if it assists those with lower incomes. Alternatively, with differing talents and work ethics, a society might lean towards equity, providing resources according to needs, while also incentivizing hard work and innovation.