Date of Award
2019
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Graduate Group
Philosophy
First Advisor
Samuel . Freeman
Abstract
This dissertation considers three major challenges to egalitarian liberal institutions made by classical liber-
als: that egalitarian liberal institutions involve too much coercive interference with individual economic
decisions, that free markets tend to do better at rewarding people on the basis of their economic choices,
and that only by recognizing full liberal rights of ownership can a society best promote a stable property
regime consistent with our pre-political conventions of ownership. Each of these objections fails, but they
point to an underlying concern that egalitarian liberal institutions fail to adequately protect economic
freedom.
The dissertation then develops and defends a conception of economic freedom that is reflected in egalitar-
ian liberal institutions. Economic freedom depends on the quality and availability of options individuals
have in markets, especially the quality of exit options available to avoid coercive or exploitative conditions
of employment or exchange. It then extends this view to the idea of property-owning democracy and
worker-ownership of firms.
Recommended Citation
Randall, Pierce, "Egalitarian Liberalism And Economic Freedom" (2019). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 3680.
https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3680