Stephen — thank you for your response and for sharing your ideas.
Philosophers have been trying to define justice since Plato and we still need much more conversation and work on that topic. I agree with you that essential to justice is an ethic of mutual respect, or as Honneth terms it “mutual recognition.” Justice will not be extended to people who are not recognized as worthy of receiving justice. Similar to what you express, Honneth says recognition is respecting another as a morally autonomous being. His more recent work has shifted to more of a discussion of freedom as a right that must be accorded to all.
Most people will agree that justice has something to do with freedom and equality. Beyond that, the conversation gets bogged down in disputes over terminology. That’s not surprising because the terms “freedom/liberty” and “equality” are very difficult to define. Your articles on those topics are another contribution to that discussion, which is needed.
I think that we have to jettison the terms “liberal” and “liberalism” from the discussion because they now have too many meanings and have been co-opted by both left-wing and right-wing for opposite political purposes. We also need to liberate “socialism” from the right-wing smear that socialism means distribution; socialism means a focus on the common good. On the topic of distribution, I am unclear how your concept of DDI differs from the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI). Though UBI is another term that people can’t agree on what it means; as is “democracy” which, some argue is essential for justice and some argue is antithetical to justice. Both arguments make valid points. I also think that the issue you are touching on is economic security which may be considered a necessary precedent to justice and equality. It also reminds me of the reforms suggested by Henry George, ideas never sufficiently discussed or explored.
Keep writing and keep advocating. People aren’t much interested in deep philosophical discussion of issues, but we have to keep trying.
