Psychology Dictionary of Arguments

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Saving: In economics, saving is defined as the portion of disposable income that is not consumed.
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Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments.

 
Author Concept Summary/Quotes Sources

John Rawls on Saving - Dictionary of Arguments

I 291
Savings/generational justice/reciprocity/Rawls: the generations should ask themselves how much they are prepared to save when all others do the same. In doing so, they should establish a principle of fair saving that applies to all.
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I 288
Only the relatives of the very first generation do not benefit from this, but nobody knows in the initial situation of a society to be established which generation they belong to.
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I 289
However, the principle of fair saving does not force us to continue saving forever. Details have to be clarified at a later date.
Each generation has its own appropriate goals. Generations are no more subject to each other than individuals are subject to each other. No generation has special demands.
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I 290
Savings/Saving Rate/Wealth/Rawls: the last stage of a society does not have to be one of abundance. The principle of justice does not require previous generations to save money so that later generations will have more. Rather, saving is about enabling a fair society and equal freedoms. If more is saved, it is for other purposes. It would be a misunderstanding to think that the realisation of a good and fair society must wait until a high standard of living has been achieved.
Reciprocity/Rawls: The principle of reciprocity is usually used when it comes to compensating for advantages. But you cannot give anything back to the previous generation. This is the special case for reciprocity in saving.
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I 291
Alexander Herzen and also Kant complained about the injustice that the later ones would benefit from the achievements of the former ones without giving anything back(1)(2).
RawlsVsKant/RawlsVsHearts: these feelings are out of place: the relation is asymmetric, but this has to be corrected. First of all, the question of justice does not arise because of the extension of time in only one direction. What can be fair or unfair is the way in which institutions deal with this situation and with historical possibilities. If all generations, with the exception of the first, now benefit and everyone inherits from their ancestors, all they have to do is choose a fair saving principle that ensures that future generations will also benefit from their services. The only reciprocity between generations is virtual. However, each generation can regulate the details for itself.
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I 292
Fairness of savings/fair saving/Rawls: we accept the fictitious initial situation of a society to be established as present and ourselves as participants. This situation involves members of all possible generations. No one knows what generation he belongs to.
So there is no reason for anyone to save money - either previous generations have saved or not. You cannot change that now.
Solution/Rawls: to accept individuals as part of a family line that continues. The rest is governed by the two principles of justice. (See Principles/Rawls
.) Just as the first principle of justice and the principle of equal opportunity limits the application of the principle of difference (see Difference Principle/Rawls) within a generation, the principle of fair saving limits its application between generations.
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I 293
No disadvantaged person of any generation can then complain that others are not doing their part.


(1) Kant, "Idea for a Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Purpose", quoted from Hans Reiss (ed.), Kant, Political Writings, Cambridge, 1970, p. 44.
(2) Quote A. Herzen from Isaiah Berlin's Einführung zu Franco Venturi, Roots of Revolution, New York, 1960 p. xx.

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Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments
The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition.

Rawl I
J. Rawls
A Theory of Justice: Original Edition Oxford 2005


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