Abstract:
This article conducts an in-depth examination of the issue of equality within Pierre Rosanvallon’s democratic theory. The focus is on his work La Société des égaux, juxtaposed with other theories of justice. Alongside the introduction and conclusion, the article is structured into three distinct sections. The initial section offers an overview of the first three segments of La Société des égaux. Rosanvallon’s arguments to demonstrate (i) the limitations of the Rawlsian theory centered on the concept of “rending of the veil of ignorance”; (ii) the inherent complexities in the theory of radical equal opportunity, influenced by Ronald Dworkin’s ideas; and (iii) the challenges of establishing a conception of justice among theorists operating within a society characterized by widespread competition. The third section elaborates on Rosanvallon’s notion of “equality as relation”. The article contends that Rosanvallon’s historical-conceptual approach offers a unique viewpoint on equality, circumventing the limitations of normative theories, thus offering new avenues for contemplating equality in modern democracies.
Keywords:
Pierre Rosanvallon; Society of Equals; Equality as Relation; John Rawls; Ronald Dworkin