Fairness, populism, reciprocity and the left – @DannytheFink

Daniel Finkelstein writes a fascinating column in yesterday’s Times: Why the left will never understand populism (free registration required).

“Fairness” is a slippery subject, but Finkelstein makes a strong argument for a fundamental difference in how people understand the concept. Too often, fairness is conflated with equality and descends into an “all shall have prizes” attitude. It relies always on having an unfairly privileged “Them” who must be stripped of their advantage. Finkelstein points to recent psychology and biology research that suggests we more often see the world in terms of reciprocity rather than equality.

Viewed this way, the popular backlashes against such things as MP’s expenses, “unfair” benefits and “overly lenient” prison sentences become easier to understand.

In general, people don’t want equality so much as reciprocity: receiving what is earned, getting back what is put in, etc.

Worth a read and a ponder.

 

 

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