Having read two texts by Rousseau, what arguments do you think would be relevant in today’s economy to justify or criticize wealth and income inequality in terms of a social contract among all community members?
(You can focus either on income or wealth inequality or both). In other words, given the American reality of the discrepancy between the 1% versus the 99%, do you think such inequality is fair or detrimental to the wellbeing of society as a whole? Do think it could lead to political problems insofar as the very rich can lobby for their own tax or regulatory benefits while the poor remain underrepresented? On the other hand, is the
American Dream not based on the unbridled competition for greater financial success? Should taxation be progressive (the more you make, the more you pay proportionately) or flat (everyone pays the same
percentage of their income)? Should the call to “eliminate Billionaires,” as some have suggested, be heeded?
And finally, does it make sense to speak of the social contract when speaking of what Rousseau defines as
artificial or moral inequality?
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