Justice and Posterity

Abstract

What kind of world should current generations bequeath to those who come after them? One appealing principle holds that those alive at any one time should leave future people with a standard of living that is at least as good as the one that they claim for themselves. Versions of this principle have been put forward by economists, philosophers, and legal scholars. However, while the principle is an attractive one, its meaning is also elusive. This chapter therefore explores how best to spell out the underlying principle. It then seeks to motivate support for this principle and to outline its implications for development, global inequalities, and addressing climate change.