Free and Equal

Can a philosopher help dig us out of the political hole we’re in? In Free and Equal Daniel Chandler makes a robust and inspiring case for the philosophy of John Rawls, dragging his theory of justice down from Harvard’s ivory towers and into the street with the people. In clear and impassioned style he returns Rawls to the centre of the conversation, re-establishing his work as a potential agent of radical – and practicable – change … a book that is both intellectually rigorous and full of hope – Zadie SmithA beautifully written and compelling argument that Rawlsian political philosophy can heal our broken societies and make us, indeed, free and equal – Sir Angus Deaton, winner of the Nobel Prize in EconomicsThis is a fantastic book. More than ever, we need philosophers to participate in the public debate about inequality and sustainability. In Free and Equal Daniel Chandler provides us with the moral basis for an ambitious egalitarian agenda, and a roadmap for putting this into practice. It is a must-read! – Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the 21st CenturyA vigorous case for adopting the liberal political framework laid out by John Rawls… . Chandler is a lucid and elegant writer, and there’s an earnest sense of excitement propelling his argument — a belief that Rawls’s framework for thinking through political issues offers a humane way out of the most intractable disputes. * New York Times Book Review *The most excellent book … substantive and beautifully expressed suggestions for improving almost everything – James O’BrienA brilliantly eloquent, incredibly insightful reimagining of liberalism – Owen JonesAn exceptionally sane, judicious essay on what a viable democracy entails… [Chandler] develops a realistic, humane - and in its way, revolutionary - vision of a society committed to equity, inclusion and accountability. It should become an indispensable tool in political debate in the years ahead – Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of CanterburySo many of the answers to our dilemmas about democracy and inequality can be found in the philosophy of John Rawls. Daniel Chandler brings those answers to life with contemporary evidence and solutions. Read Free and Equal and feel hopeful about the future – Minouche Shafik, President of Columbia UniversityDaniel Chandler argues that Rawls’s ideas can help us build a fairer society, from strengthening democracy to tackling inequality. Chandler has an excellent background on the philosophical issues that are central to practical policy making, and given the lucidity and reach of what he writes, this book will meet a very important need – Amartya Sen, winner of the Nobel Prize in EconomicsMany of us wonder idly why we can’t live in a kinder world. Daniel Chandler has done us all a significant favour by devising a powerful analysis of exactly why the world is not presently kind and how it might become more so. An inspiring work which returns political philosophy to its rightful position: that of working out how to make things better – Alain de Botton, author of The Consolations of Philosophy

Daniel Chandler is an economist and philosopher based at the London School of Economics. He has degrees in economics, philosophy and history from Cambridge and the LSE, and was awarded a Henry Fellowship at Harvard where he studied under Amartya Sen. He has worked in the British Government as a policy advisor in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, and as a researcher at think tanks including the Resolution Foundation and Institute for Fiscal Studies.