TY - JOUR

T1 - Capabilities, contributive injustice and unequal divisions of labour

AU - Sayer, Andrew

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - It is argued that the radical implications of the capabilities approach have been widely overlooked, primarily because of a tendency for the approach to be combined with inadequate theories of society, particularly regarding the external conditions enabling or limiting capabilities. While the approach is accepted in principle, by turning to the theory of contributive justice, which focuses on what people are allowed or expected to contribute in terms of work, paid or unpaid, we can see that job shortages and unequal divisions of labour are amajor cause of capability inequalities and deficiencies. In so doing the theory helps us to appreciate the radical implications of the capabilities approach.

AB - It is argued that the radical implications of the capabilities approach have been widely overlooked, primarily because of a tendency for the approach to be combined with inadequate theories of society, particularly regarding the external conditions enabling or limiting capabilities. While the approach is accepted in principle, by turning to the theory of contributive justice, which focuses on what people are allowed or expected to contribute in terms of work, paid or unpaid, we can see that job shortages and unequal divisions of labour are amajor cause of capability inequalities and deficiencies. In so doing the theory helps us to appreciate the radical implications of the capabilities approach.

KW - capability inequality well-being

KW - capabilities

KW - approach

KW - economic development

KW - inequality

KW - well-being

U2 - 10.1080/19452829.2012.693069

DO - 10.1080/19452829.2012.693069

M3 - Journal article

VL - 13

SP - 580

EP - 596

JO - Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

JF - Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

SN - 1945-2837

IS - 4

ER -