Partly inspired by a seminar given by Elizabeth Anderson at the IPPR on 13 June, in which the question of how far egalitarians should rely on income redistribution was debated.I argue that our main form of income redistribution, the social security system, achieves some equalisation of income but only as a by-product of poverty reduction. Egalitarian aims go far beyond poverty reduction, I guess, so the implication is that egalitarian strategies sit alongside the objectives of social security rather than informing them or- as some seem to feel these days- competing with them.

If values guide choices, what guides choice when you have to decide between values as well as options? On one account, such a situation is 'tragic': there are better and worse ways to proceed, but none that don't involve leaving a legitimate claim unmet.