Moral Tyranny and Community

Abstract

In this essay, I argue against Jesse Spafford’s Moral Tyranny Constraint on the grounds that it would undermine the socialist value of community. The socialist value of community is appealing because people in community are disposed to voluntarily benefit each other unconditionally, without constantly keeping score or worrying about who is gaining an advantage and who is being taken advantage of. The Moral Tyranny Constraint betrays the socialist value of community because it is a theory of enforceable rights, which permits and potentially requires constant attention to material circumstances and advantages.