Wylie Bradford

Factors that drive the gap in diabetes rates between Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal people in non‐remote NSW

Objective: To identify factors underpinning the gap in diabetes rates between Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal people in non‐remote NSW. This will indicate appropriate target areas for policy and for monitoring progress towards reducing the gap.

Rawlsian Justice and Preferences over Work

Rawlss assertion that the specification of property rights over the means of production is not determined by the theory of justice is shown to rest on shaky foundations. His account of the subjective circumstances of justice, which serve as an empirical constraint on the deliberations of those in the original position, is shown to reflect neoclassical economic theory in which preferences over work are excluded from welfare analysis. As a result, those in the original position are concerned only with the distributive outcomes of the basic structure, and not at all with its form in terms of the modalities of ownership of productive assets. This in turn is shown to conflict with Rawlss professed methodology, in which constraints are not to be placed upon the conceptions of the good held by those in the original position. There is, however, very little scope for Rawls to amend his argument on this point without compromising the integrity of the whole. Hence, there is no good reason to exclude property rights over the means of production from consideration in the liberal theory of justice.

Quo vadis: Does economic theory need a sustainability makeover?

Prof. Marglin argues for a new economics and a new conception of welfare as part of the move to a sustainable future. However, the typical criticisms of the treatment of welfare in economics appear wide of the mark, and there are good reasons to regard this treatment as accurate enough for the job at hand. The critics appear to miss how demanding the job of reshaping economics in their (implicit) desired image would be, and how unproductive it might turn out to be to insist on such a reshaping as a precursor to serious action.

The economics of Rawlsian justice: can it be neoclassical?

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the compatibility of Rawlss account of justice with neoclassical economic theory, upon which Rawls relies strongly. Design/methodology/approach - This question is approached via a comparison of the implicit account of society and social relations adopted in Rawls work with that that can be perceived to underly neoclassical economic theory. The purpose of this comparison is to assess how compatible these social visions are. Findings - It is argued that neoclassical economic theory presupposes a social structure and a social reality that is radically less cooperative than that which underpins Rawlss theory of justice. Rawls presupposes a world in which cooperation is necessary – a specialised world – whereas the equilibrium requirements of neoclassical theory run into severe technical difficulties in such a context, with the result that they are assumed away via a series of theoretical contrivances, along with the role for cooperation that is central to Rawlss theory. Research limitations/implications - The paper illustrates clearly the pitfalls associated with uncritical reliance in one discipline on theoretical frameworks imported from another. Where there is debate concerning the fundamental bases of theory, a form of sensitivity analysis must be performed to ensure that the final argument does not demand too much of, or become excessively tied to, the imported framework. Originality/value - The paper provides the beginnings of such a sensitivity analysis on the Rawlsian project and its relationship to economic theory, and shows that the field is open for a reconstitution of the liberal theory of justice on grounds other than its traditional ally, the exchange paradigm as represented by neoclassical theory.