Debating Libertarianism
What Makes Society Just?
Published on 8. November 2025
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-19-754086-2 (ISBN)
Description
Debating Libertarianism offers readers a sustained debate between two leading political philosophers over which vision of society--Rawlsian left-liberalism or libertarianism--is best and most just. In this crucial and timely book, Samuel Freeman and Jason Brennan consider both fundamental questions of justice and issues of applied policy. Along the way, they debate which economic rights people have; whether democracy liberates people and is essential for social equality, or is merely a tool to promote justice; the justification and extent of property rights and of taxation; whether the fact that freedom permits people to make bad choices is a reason to limit freedom; and whether the modern welfare state is necessary for social justice or instead a barrier to it. Debating Libertarianism offers readers both a succinct defence and critique of two important conceptions of what makes institutions just and good.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 17 mm
Width: 139 mm
Thickness: 209 mm
Weight
411 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-754086-2 (9780197540862)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
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Book
10/2025
Oxford University Press Inc
€25.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
E-Book
08/2025
OUP eBook
€18.49
Available for download
E-Book
08/2025
OUP eBook
€18.49
Available for download
Persons
Jason Brennan is the Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of strategy, economics, ethics, and public policy at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He is the author of seventeen books, including Cracks in the Ivory Tower (2019), When All Else Fails (2018), In Defense of Openness (2018), and Against Democracy (2016).
Samuel Freeman is the Avalon Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Liberalism and Distributive Justice (2018), Justice and the Social Contract (2007), and Rawls (2007). He edited The Cambridge Companion to Rawls (2003), Rawls's Lectures in the History of Political Philosophy (2008), and John Rawls's Collected Papers (1999). He is the editor of the Oxford Political Philosophy Series and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Samuel Freeman is the Avalon Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Liberalism and Distributive Justice (2018), Justice and the Social Contract (2007), and Rawls (2007). He edited The Cambridge Companion to Rawls (2003), Rawls's Lectures in the History of Political Philosophy (2008), and John Rawls's Collected Papers (1999). He is the editor of the Oxford Political Philosophy Series and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Author
Avalon Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and Professor of PhilosophyAvalon Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania
Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public PolicyRobert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University
Content
PART 1: The Case Against
Samuel Freeman
Introduction
Chapter 1: Liberalism and Libertarianism
Chapter 2: Ideal Libertarianism and the Orthodox View
Chapter 3: Liberal Libertarianism
Chapter 4: Neoliberalism--the Intersection of Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism
Chapter 5: High Liberalism and Distributive Justice PART 2: The Case For
Jason Brennan
Introduction
Chapter 6: Rawlsian Liberalism: Why Not
Chapter 7: Why Not Libertarianism?
Chapter 8: Anti-Social Democracy: A Libertarian Left-Wing Critique PART 3: Responses
Chapter 9: Response to Brennan
Chapter 10: Response to Freeman Part 1 Bibliography
Part 2 Bibliography
Index
Samuel Freeman
Introduction
Chapter 1: Liberalism and Libertarianism
Chapter 2: Ideal Libertarianism and the Orthodox View
Chapter 3: Liberal Libertarianism
Chapter 4: Neoliberalism--the Intersection of Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism
Chapter 5: High Liberalism and Distributive Justice PART 2: The Case For
Jason Brennan
Introduction
Chapter 6: Rawlsian Liberalism: Why Not
Chapter 7: Why Not Libertarianism?
Chapter 8: Anti-Social Democracy: A Libertarian Left-Wing Critique PART 3: Responses
Chapter 9: Response to Brennan
Chapter 10: Response to Freeman Part 1 Bibliography
Part 2 Bibliography
Index