Against equality: reading on economic & social policy

This volume of readings is published in association with the Foundation for
Education in Economics. It brings together in a systematic schemeimportant
work produced in recent years by prominent writers in the fields of social
policy, political theory and economics which challenges and rebuts
egalitarian doctrines and assumptions
Though arguing from different standpoints-the collection does not hew to a
strict orthodoxy of dissent-the contributors powerfully illuminate key issues
arising from their scrutiny of the various arguments advanced in favour of
equality.
The question of 'social equality- differences of status, class, esteem, and the
like- receives less emphasis than other aspects of equality. None the less
the contributors bring ample evidence to bear to show that the claims of
egalitarianism in the social sphere are as ill-founded as in any other.
William Letwin is Professor of Political Science at the London School of
Economics. His publications include The Origins of Scientific Economics (1963;
reprinted 1975), Sir Josiah Child: Merchant Economist (1959), A Documentary
History of American Economic Policy since 1789 (new edn 1972), and Lawand
Economic Policy in America (reprinted 1981).