Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality
According to one influential argument on state-centered conceptions of justice, the domestic coercion inherent in state authority is illegitimate unless states ensure the equality of their citizens. In this paper, I argue that while state coercion is not present in international politics, there may...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2015-10-01
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| Series: | Ethics & Global Politics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/view/27274/42486 |
| _version_ | 1819031555978297344 |
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| author | Ryan W. Davis |
| author_facet | Ryan W. Davis |
| author_sort | Ryan W. Davis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | According to one influential argument on state-centered conceptions of justice, the domestic coercion inherent in state authority is illegitimate unless states ensure the equality of their citizens. In this paper, I argue that while state coercion is not present in international politics, there may still be phenomena that give rise to the political value of equality. I claim that morally objectionable manipulation may occur within international politics, and that this problem recommends an egalitarian solution. Manipulation occurs when one agent takes control of another agent's actions, either through impairing the other's capacity to act or through taking advantage of such impairment. I use the WTO as a case to illustrate how more powerful members of international institutions may sometimes manipulate less powerful members. Although political theory cannot settle empirical questions about such phenomena, it can raise questions that are intelligible through existing approaches to international politics. I argue that the prospect of manipulation introduces new relevance to political value of equality internationally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:47:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dedc895ed2874c01936a830b37881076 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1654-6369 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:47:55Z |
| publishDate | 2015-10-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ethics & Global Politics |
| spelling | doaj.art-dedc895ed2874c01936a830b378810762022-12-21T19:12:34ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEthics & Global Politics1654-63692015-10-018012810.3402/egp.v8.2727427274Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equalityRyan W. Davis0Department of Political Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USAAccording to one influential argument on state-centered conceptions of justice, the domestic coercion inherent in state authority is illegitimate unless states ensure the equality of their citizens. In this paper, I argue that while state coercion is not present in international politics, there may still be phenomena that give rise to the political value of equality. I claim that morally objectionable manipulation may occur within international politics, and that this problem recommends an egalitarian solution. Manipulation occurs when one agent takes control of another agent's actions, either through impairing the other's capacity to act or through taking advantage of such impairment. I use the WTO as a case to illustrate how more powerful members of international institutions may sometimes manipulate less powerful members. Although political theory cannot settle empirical questions about such phenomena, it can raise questions that are intelligible through existing approaches to international politics. I argue that the prospect of manipulation introduces new relevance to political value of equality internationally.http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/view/27274/42486justiceequalitymanipulationtradeWTO |
| spellingShingle | Ryan W. Davis Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality Ethics & Global Politics justice equality manipulation trade WTO |
| title | Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality |
| title_full | Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality |
| title_fullStr | Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality |
| title_short | Manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation: an argument for international equality |
| title_sort | manipulation and the grounds of institutional obligation an argument for international equality |
| topic | justice equality manipulation trade WTO |
| url | http://www.ethicsandglobalpolitics.net/index.php/egp/article/view/27274/42486 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ryanwdavis manipulationandthegroundsofinstitutionalobligationanargumentforinternationalequality |