A sufficientarian perspective on human development goals

Each account of justice should substantiate the 'pattern' of distribution; the principles according to which distribution should take place. The role of such principle is to determine when justice obtains, to guide policy decisions, and to determine development goals. In this paper, we will give a possible philosophical underpinning of human development goals by substantiating a 'sufficientarian' pattern of distribution. We will discuss Martha Nussbaum's sufficientarian version of the capabilities approach. Because we find this account wanting, we will develop a multilevel sufficientarian model of justice. On this basis, we will make some suggestions with respect to the practical distribution of social and material conditions of justice, and how this relates to analysing the goals of human development.Each account of justice should substantiate the 'pattern' of distribution; the principles according to which distribution should take place. The role of such principle is to determine when justice obtains, to guide policy decisions, and to determine development goals. In this paper, we will give a possible philosophical underpinning of human development goals by substantiating a 'sufficientarian' pattern of distribution. We will discuss Martha Nussbaum's sufficientarian version of the capabilities approach. Because we find this account wanting, we will develop a multilevel sufficientarian model of justice. On this basis, we will make some suggestions with respect to the practical distribution of social and material conditions of justice, and how this relates to analysing the goals of human development.B