The pursuit of egalitarian justice necessitates a sound theoretical basis that can tackle the issue of marginalization and subjugation resulting from various forms of oppression, including sexism, racism, and classism. Contractarianism has been a popular theory for about five centuries and has been widely considered a doctrine of egalitarianism by some political theorists. Despite its numerous criticisms, the social contract theory still holds a prominent status as a key theory for egalitarian justice. However, Carole Pateman and Charles Mills have contended that the contractarian approach legitimizes gender and racial inequalities by excluding and marginalizing women and people of color from the original agreement. Therefore, the social contract theory is incapable of generating or fostering equality.
This talk proposes postcontractarianism as a viable alternative to the social contract. Postcontractarianism argues that the basis for egalitarianism cannot be grounded solely on agreement, but rather on understanding. It draws on Hegel’s philosophy of history, Nef’s idea of mutual vulnerability, and Obiri, an African theory of cosmology, to argue for the imperative of social equality.