Theories of distributive justice have traditionally focused on the least well off with the aim of promoting their wellbeing. In recent years, in response to phenomena including the ultra-rich and the ecological crisis, scholarship in political philosophy and ethics has begun shifting that focus also to the better off, and especially to the wealthy. The most notable example, which will be discussed in detail is Ingrid Robeyns’ theory of limitarianism, which claims that it is immoral to have too much. The course, however, will discuss the moral and political aspects of imposing limits also on other human activities (such as education, consumption, emissions and even procreation), through examining the concepts of leveling down, positional goods, environmental justice, and more.
