Prokla 121 - Soziale Gerechtigkeit

Abstracts

in (09.01.2001)

Summaries aller Aufsätze der Prokla 121, Vol. 30 (2000), Nummer. 4 in englischer Sprache:

Birgit Mahnkopf:

The New Formula of the New Social Democracy: Justice by Inequality. During the last years "modern" social democrats reinterpret the social question, following the lines of neoliberal thinking. Diminishing social inequality is no longer the main goal. Social democrats are willing to accept social inequalities, with the idea, that such inequalities are leading to an increasing output, bringing benfits to the whole society. The different arguments of social democrat defence of social inequalities are discussed. The main concepts are criticized, especially in consideration of the temporary tendencies of globalisation.
(Dieser Aufsatz liegt im Volltext vor.)

Peter Lohauß:

Social justice in times of globalisation and individualism: About the change of its concepts in the programs of political parties. The fundamental concepts of DGB, SPD and CDU and their current debate of new programs are examined for the change in the concepts of social justice. Both large parties now define social justice in terms of subordination under the economic constraint of the labour market. The long overdue solutions for the change of the system of social security regarding equality of generations and gender and thus the draft of a modern conception of social justice is still pending.

Norbert Reuter:

Inter-generational Justice in Economic Policy. The new red-green government in Germany follows in economic policy the neoliberal aim of forced public debt reduction. Also the system of public pensions plans (with costs shared by employers and employees) will be reorganised, giving private pension funds payed by employees alone more weight. Both measures shall improve inter-generational justice. This claim is criticized as well in a fundamental manner as in consideration of the german situation.

Hans Georg Zilian:

"Activation" and "Workfare". Workfare, which makes unemployment benefits depending on some labour of the unemployed, and activation of the unemployed are analyzed as complementary measures strengthening some tendencies of labour markets. Workfare and acitvation have their origins in a special practice of neoliberalism: the transfoming of "slack". In this process different forms of pressure are important, but sometimes it is difficult to realize the point, where pressure begins.

Bernd Ladwig:

Justice and Equality. The author defends an egalitarian conception of justice against recent anti-egalitarian criticisms in politics and philosophy. On a conceptual level he argues that modern morality is based on a principle of equal respect and concern. As a consequence, all that a conception of distributive justice has to elaborate is an adequate interpretation of equality. In short, equality is the epitome of justice. The article gives an outline of a conception that respects and accentuates the responsibility of persons for leading their own lives and that nevertheless justifies strong demands for redistribution in the realm of social politics.

Urs Müller-Plantenberg:

Rawls world-wide. Rawls' Theory of justice is related to a "closed" society. His theory is discussed under the conditions of globalization, where the world society is the only useful meaning of a closed society. But insofar societies are organised in different states, people have to regard the needs of "outsiders", if they want to practice a minimum of justice.

Enrique Leff:

Ecological Culture, Environmental Rationality, and Environmental Ethics. Considering the ecological crisis a new "ecological culture" is necessary. This would include a new eco-technological paradigm of production as well as a new "environmental ethics". But such an environmental ethics may not be defined in narrow sense, the basic needs, the traditions, and the quality of life have to be taken into consideration. After all, such a framwork is not compatible with the logic of capitalist production.