‘Unite against injustice’, says Amartya Sen
25 Nov 09
Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen has urged politicians and citizens to unite against the injustices they can all agree upon rather than concentrating on their differences.
Professor Sen was speaking at a special roundtable event held by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) within the Oxford Department of International Development.
Panellists included James Purnell, Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde and former Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, Peter Lilley Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden and Co-Chair of the Trade Out of Poverty Campaign, and academics. The panels were chaired by Ngaire Woods of Oxford’s Global Economic Governance Programme and Frances Cairncross of Exeter College.
The focus of the roundtable was his latest book The Idea of Justice and whether economics needs to change in light of the financial crisis and criticism that economic progress does not advance human well-being.
Professor Sen said: ‘We don’t begin by asking what would a perfectly just society look like ... We keep our eye on the ultimate prize which is to identify injustices that we are to give priority to removing … those where there could be a reasoned agreement on their removal today.’
Professor Amartya SenWe keep our eye on the ultimate prize which is to identify injustices that we are to give priority to removing
Director of OPHI, Dr Sabina Alkire, asked: ‘First, should economists engage with core ideas of welfare and comparative justice, and second what practical implications might such an engagement have – in teaching, in research, in policy and above all in our strategy of coordinating?’
She suggested that teaching the Idea of Justice in PPE would not only engage philosophers in economics but would also engage economists with the welfare basis of policy decisions.
MP James Purnell felt that the capability approach outlined by Sen is a very good framework for establishing government priorities, and went onto outline the role of the state in maximising capabilities: ‘Governments should empower people and protect them. That is their core mission. At a time of fiscal tightening, everything else is a lower priority.’
MP Peter Lilley largely endorsed James Purnell’s approach but warned against ideological distortions of Professor Sen’s message: ‘Development economics is the last remaining playground on which ideologues of both the left and right can play.’ He was concerned that these might distract from the key role of the West, from ‘doing the one thing we can do – offering the poorest people opportunities to trade out of poverty’.
Professor Sen went on to deliver a distinguished public lecture entitled The Pursuit of Justice sponsored by the Faculty of Philosophy to a packed Sheldonian Theatre, where the Chancellor, the Rt Hon Lord Patten of Barnes presided.
OPHI's work draws on the writings of Professor Sen who is an adviser to OPHI and a Distinguished Fellow of All Souls College.
Image credit: Rob Judges