Which Equalities Matter?

‘Anne Phillips has done it again! Which Equalities Matter? is at once a major theoretical contribution and a salutory political intervention.’ Nancy Fraser, New School for Social Research

‘In an age of growing inequality, Anne Phillips has written a timely and important book: a politically engaged, theoretically sophisticated, energetic and circumstantial argument for reversing the trend. Egalitarianism finds here a wonderfully lively and skilful defender.’ Michael Walzer, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton

‘An important new book.’ The Guardian

‘[A] welcome contribution to current debates.’ Journal of European Area Studies

In what will be seen as a major contribution to debates on the relationship between struggles for recognition and struggles for redistribution, Anne Phillips employs arguments about recognition to restate the importance of economic equality. The book links the retreat from economic egalitarianism to the idea that equality means recognizing group difference. Despite the best of intentions, this idea contributes to a flawed understanding of citizen equality as compatible with virtually any kind of economic arrangement, and helps turn attention away from the distribution of income and wealth.

Which Equalities Matter? engages with one of the most pressing problems of contemporary politics and will be essential reading for anyone who is concerned about the relationship between political and economic equality.