Why Equality Is a Flawed Moral Idea: A Review of “On Inequality” by Harry Frankfurt

Politikon. 2020. Vol. 45. P. 99–103.

Niyazov, Sukhayl

Frankfurt’s book provides a compelling argument against equality. His criticism of the concept of diminishing marginal utility as well as of contemporary intellectuals’ flawed understanding of their own nature are fresh and persuasive. However, On Inequality is to a certain degree detached from the realities of today’s political environment; the book provides more of a case against the negative perception of inequalityper serather than a discussion on the morality of redistributing wealth to eliminate poverty and implement more generous social programs, which is a more contentious issue nowadays. Although Frankfurt’s book is intellectually rigorous, insightful, well-reasoned, and of philosophical and academic importance, it does not considerablyalter today’s political debates on the issue of inequality.

Keywords: политическая философия, утилитаризм, economic inequality, социальное и экономическое неравенство, Political Philosophy, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Utilitarianism, этика и моральная философия