Extravagance and Misery

Introduction Chapter One: The Problem of Inequality Propositional Summary Introduction 1 The Facts of Inequality 2 The Structural Basis of the 'New' Inequality 3 Is America an 'Outlier'? 4 Inequality and Globalisation Chapter Two: Empirical Data on Inequality and Dual Economy Propositional Summary Introduction 1 The Critique of Rent Seeking 2 Wage Suppression and the Dual Economy 3 Rent Seeking, Resentment and Angrynomics Chapter Three: Addressing Inequality: A Normative Framework Propositional Summary Introduction 1 The Badness of Inequality 2 Distinctions of Caste and Class 3 Domination, Wealth and Anxiety 4 A Distinction Within Egalitarianism Chapter Four: Recruiting the Science of Happiness Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Problematic Correlations 2 A Positive Role for the Science of Happiness? 3 Going Beyond the Spirit Level Chapter Five: Emotions, Explanations and Emotional Regimes Propositional Summary Introduction 1 A General Conception of Emotions 2 The Justificatory Role of Emotions 3 Emotions in Social Explanations 4 Universalism or Constructivism About Emotions? 5 Reddy's Conception of Emotional Regimes 6 Other Aspects of Emotional Regimes 7 The Emotional Appeal of Market Fundamentalism Chapter Six: Rousseau, Smith and Hegel on the Emotional Regimes of Commercial Society Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Rousseau's Originating Critique 2 From Rousseau to Smith 3 From Smith to Hegel 4 The New Inequality in a Classical Frame 5 Rousseau's, Smith's and Hegel's Emotional Regimes Chapter Seven: The Emotional Regimes of Roman Republicanism and Political Liberalism Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Republicanism's Economy of Esteem 2 Political Liberalism's Emotional Regime 3 Rawlsian Stability in a Rousseauian Frame Chapter Eight: The Promises and Failures of Capitalist Market Societies Propositional Summary Introduction 1: The Continuing Appeal of Smith's Ideal 2 Extending the Model to Financialised Capitalism 3 Veblen: The Engineer versus the Capitalist 4 Kalecki: The Disciplinary Role of Unemployment 5 The Proliferation of Capitalist Discipline 6 Financialisation and the Disciplinary Role of Debt 7 Can Smith's Ideal Survive in the Twenty-First Century? Chapter Nine: Positional Goods and Opportunity Hoarding Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Hirsch on Positional Goods 2 Opportunity Hoarding 3 Positionality and Cultural Legislation 4 Positionality, De-Marketisation and Public Goods Chapter Ten: The Science of Happiness, Inequality and Well-being Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Why (Not) Use Empirical Evidence about Happiness and Well-being? 2 General and Specific Conceptions of Well-being 3 Our Approach: Ecumenical Yet Committed 4 Well-being: Methodological and Normative Issues 5 Well-being and Emotional Regimes 6 Income, Wealth and Well-being 7 Income and Wealth Inequality and Its Relation to Well-being 8 Using the Science of Happiness Chapter Eleven: Inequality, Shame, Envy and Admiration: A Smithian Perspective Propositional Summary Introduction 1 The Inevitability of Shame in Stratified Societies 2 The Moral Psychological Impact of the Shame of Poverty 3 Shame, Stigmatisation and Rationality 4 Smith and Admiration for the Rich 5 Veblen and Emulation for the Rich in Market Societies 6 Admiration, Emulation and Envy in Capitalist Market Societies 7 Ought We to Disregard Envy and Admiration for the Rich? Chapter Twelve: The False Promise of Meritocracy and Its Emotional Regime Propositional Summary Introduction 1 A Short History of Meritocracy 2 Meritocracy as an Incoherent Ideal 3 Meritocracy as an Unrealisable Ideal 4 Meritocracy as an Unstable Ideal 5 The Falsity of the Meritocratic Explanation of the New Inequality 6 The Functional Role of Meritocratic Beliefs 7 Merit's Role in the Emotional Regime of Capitalism 8 The Impact of Meritocratic Beliefs on Well-being 9 Meritocracy, Oppression and Affective Injustice Chapter Thirteen: Republican and Liberal Emotional Regimes Revisited Propositional Summary Introduction 1 Strong and Weak Egalitarianism and Stability 2 Self-Respect, Confidence and Mutual Investment 3 Full Employment and the De-Commodification of Labour 4 Realistic Utopianism about Work: Eliminating Bottlenecks 5 De-Marketisation, Public Goods and the Commons 6 Rawlsian Associationalism: Putting Positionality in Its Place 7 A People's Money 8 Priorities Without Prioritarianism Conclusion List of Works Cited