Research On Egalitarianism Of G.A. Cohen

Equality represents the ideal of justice that human beings are in pursuit of, and actsas a standard measure of social justice. It embodies the morality, faith, ethnics, andspiritual value orientation of certain countries and peoples. In consequence the equalityissue has taken an extremely important position in the study of contemporary politicalphilosophy. Based on the value appeal, the thesis upholds Marx’s Historical Materialismas the guide, and carries out a concentrative research on the view of socialegalitarianism of G.A. Cohen, a contemporary western representative of AnalyticalMarxism. By analyzing the discrepancy on the opinion of equality issues betweenCohen and John Rawls, a famous proponent of political Liberalism, as well as RobertNozick who supports Libertarianism, we come to a conclusion that the core concept ofvalues of Marxism are socialism and equality. And the advantage of socialism overcapitalism is eminently embodied in the concern and practice of equality.The thesis suggests the theoretical construction of egalitarianism of Cohen has twoparts: critical deconstruction and rigorous theoretical construction.As for the “critical deconstruction”, Cohen manages to disassemble a great numberof theoretical bottlenecks in socialism which are set by capitalism, using profound andthorough examination and criticism on the equality of Nozick and Rawls. Cohen thinksthose views by Nozick as “inequality is legitimate” and “equality in the socialism willsacrifice the freedom” are even more dogmatic. Cohen believes that the theory ofNozick is essentially defending for capitalism as well as the principle of freedom.Although the theory of justice by Rawls is stepping forward to equality, it compromisesto the freedom, not pursuing the real equality-equality itself. Therefore Cohen presentsthat socialism is compatible to freedom, which demonstrates a substantive andfundamental equality. And thus the socialism is an ideal and rightful system that worthbeing pursued.The “rigorous theoretical construction” signifies the basic standpoint of Cohen onequality. On the basis of criticism on equality of capitalism and reflection on classicalMarxism, Cohen forms the viewpoint of “the definition of socialist equality”. Hesystematically constructs the strict principles of equality and community, as the basis of socialist equality. Furthermore, Cohen makes theoretical exploration of designing thesocial mechanism.In the end, the thesis presents a general description and review of socialist equalityof Cohen, in the viewpoint of Marxism on equality. Although Cohen’s theory of equalityhas a number of unsatisfactory points because of his radical standpoints, Cohen,generally speaking, manages to defuse multiple theoretical challenges set by capitalismtowards the construction and development of socialism, and therefore establishes thepolitical philosophy foundation of socialist equality, building people’s confidence insocialism. Cohen’s socialist equality is of far reaching referential significance instrengthening China’s theoretical construction of social development with the dialogueof political philosophy.