Extreme Wealth Domination and Democracy A NeoRepublican Case for Limitarianism

An original contribution to applied political philosophy making a neo-republican argument for limiting extreme wealth. In this important discussion of the impact of wealth on the principles of freedom and non-domination, Elena Icardi asks: what philosophical and ethical repercussions are there for democracy when wealthy individuals translate their financial resources into political influence? And how can a neo-republican political philosophy justify limiting extreme wealth in the name of democratic values? Discussing extreme wealth in the context of structural domination, Icardi provides a novel version of republican limitarianism, focussing on how the super-rich structurally dominate politics: both with disproportionate opportunity for political influence, and the capacity to shape social norms and values in their favour. The book first gives a thorough conceptual analysis and normative discussion of plutocracy. It then frames limitarianism as integral to the idea of a just society, and analyses and compares several fiscal policies (e.g., luxury tax, wealth tax, inheritance tax) as ways to implement such a limit. With a significant theoretical contribution to neo-republican thinking on domination and a consideration of how to apply a philosophy of non-domination against plutocracy, this book is essential reading for those studying political philosophy and applied philosophy interested in the moral and political arguments around wealth.