As Edward Miliband suggests in his contribution to this collection of essays, it seems ironic that the explosion of interest in the issue of equality in the field of political theory coincided with the steep decline in the fortunes of political movements committed to the implementation of the egalitarian ideal. Ever since the 1971 publication of John Rawls's A Theory of Justice showed that rumours of the death of political theory had been greatly exaggerated, numerous theorists have picked over Rawls's egalitarian theory and proposed alternatives of their own.
The New Egalitarianism, co-edited by erstwhile guru of the 'Third Way' Anthony Giddens, and Patrick Diamond, a special advisor to the Prime Minister, is intended to establish a new equality agenda through bringing together academic theory and analysis with practically focused policy proposals. The book originated in a series of seminars organised by the Policy Network think tank, and Miliband, chair of Chancellor Gordon Brown's Council of Economic Advisers, is joined by renowned academics such as Ulrich Beck and Saskia Sassen. Amidst the more sober analysis of recent trends, one finds a diagnosis of the contemporary social changes that have made the achievement of equality as a practical reality more complicated and that suggest the need for a changed agenda.
That we need a 'new egalitarianism', and that the task of responding to changing social realities is a task that is internal to the whole process of theorising itself, is a position that might be questioned by some theorists. In his later work, Rawls increasingly focused his attention on the social conditions necessary to ensure that his egalitarian theory of justice could be accepted by all citizens in a democratic society as a practical basis for political organisation. Some critics, notably Brian Barry, were quick to accuse him of taking an unnecessary intellectual turn. For Barry, the job of the theorist rests primarily at the level of the abstract 'intellectual architecture' used to construct a theory of justice, which is then used to pass judgement on political reality. The nature of political reality does not itself enter into the very constitution of a theory. The fact that The New Egalitarianism encourages reflection on the interface between theory and politics, particularly the connection between social justice and social solidarity, should be welcomed, even if this endorsement cannot be extended to many of the practical recommendations made by the contributors.
It requires patience and a read of Rawls A Theory of Justice would put the reader in a good position to understand the philosiphical standard which Rawls set.
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