Sharing Burdensome Work

Kandiyali, J.

Abstract

In this paper, I defend the proposal that certain forms of work—specifically forms that are socially necessary but involve the imposition of considerable burdens—be shared between citizens. I argue that sharing burdensome work would achieve several goals, including a more equal distribution of the benefits and burdens of work, a greater appreciation of each other's labour contributions, and an amelioration of problematic inequalities of status. I conclude by considering three objections: that sharing burdensome work would (1) involve morally unacceptable constraints on freedom, (2) be prohibitively inefficient, and (3) forbid mutually advantageous trades. I argue that none of these objections succeed.

Citation

Kandiyali, J. (2023). Sharing Burdensome Work. Philosophical Quarterly, 73(1), 143-163. https://doi.org/10.1093/pq/pqac023

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jun 30, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Deposit Date: Jul 1, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 3, 2023
• Journal: The Philosophical Quarterly
• Print ISSN: 0031-8094
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-9213
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 73
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 143-163
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/pq/pqac023
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1199588