Dworkin’s Equality of Resources Beyond Private Property

If a legal system based on equal concern for all is favored, what sort of economic system should be favored? Ronald Dworkin argues that society should be based on what he labels “equality of resources.” Rather than challenge Dworkin’s dedication to equal concern for all or equality of resources, within this article I critique Dworkin’s claim that equality of resources entails a society based on equality of private property and argue that a common-ownership legal framework is instead more fitting. Furthermore, Albert and Hahnel’s participatory planning approach to production should be considered by people who hold to the equality of resources principle.

JEL Classification : K11, P14, P27