Must Rawlsians be Hamiltonians? Small Government and Political Illiberalism

Abstract

Is liberal egalitarianism committed to big government? This response argues that the relationship may be one of convenience. It starts with Peter Simpson’s recent argument for a decentralized authority far weaker than the recognizable state. From the minimalist baseline set by Political Illiberalism, the paper then considers what elements of the state are necessary for liberal egalitarianism. What follows is an underpopulated institutional position, “small government egalitarianism,” which pairs a highly redistributive state with a small public sector.