Abstract

There is a troubling asymmetry in the targeting of moral criticism in many academic, activist, and journalistic circles. The duty to criticise those who deserve to be criticised seems often to be neglected when the wrongdoers are from the Global South. This paper argues that this practice misrecognises the moral agency of political actors in the Global South, as well as the geopolitical realities of the modern world and the positive practical contribution of criticism when directed consistently to wherever it is deserved. It considers and rejects three possible justifications for the observed asymmetric practice: (1) that actors in the Global South do not act wrongfully; (2) that their lack of power means their decisions don’t really matter; and (3) that the targets of criticism should be chosen to maximise its effectiveness in influencing people to change the world.