Abstract

This article outlines two distinct ways of conceptualizing the idea of predistribution which reflect two distinct perspectives from which regressive ‘neoliberal’ policies and institutions can be challenged. These critical perspectives support correspondingly distinct, though not necessarily mutually exclusive, agendas for progressive predistributive reform. One conception—‘social justice predistribution’—encourages progressives to focus their attention not on a narrow conception of ‘distributive justice’, but more broadly on the demands of social justice, which aims much more ambitiously to equalize market power and provide individuals with greater security, independence and freedom outside the market. The second conception—‘market justice predistribution’—encourages progressives to pay attention not just to the idea of social justice, but also to that of ‘market justice’, which demands that the market distributes property as far as possible in line with the productive contributions of those responsible for its creation. It is argued that both forms of predistribution are central concerns of social justice because both offer options for progressive reform that are not offered by traditional redistribution, and both are less vulnerable to standard neoliberal criticisms of traditional redistribution (irrespective of the extent to which these criticisms may or may not be justified).