International distributive justice

Abstract

A review article discussing the literature on global justice. Four approaches commonly found in the literature are identified. First, the cosmopolitan contention that distributive principles apply globally is examined. This is followed by three responses to cosmopolitanism: the nationalist emphasis on special duties to co-nationals; the society of states claim that principles of global distributive justice violate the independence of states; and the realist claim that global justice is utopian and that states should advance national interest. (Original abstract - amended)