Tackling the Problem of Inability - A Barrier to Discharging Iris Marion Young's Conception of Political Responsibility

Abstract

Iris Marion Young defines structural injustice as a moral wrong, distinct from traditional conceptions of moral wrongs that are traceable to or can be attributed to specific actions, individuals, or policies. This kind of injustice is generated and maintained by the ongoing, collective participation of millions of people acting together in shared systems and processes, often in ways that are not obviously morally (or legally) wrong. As such, Young argues for a new conception of responsibility to explain when we have political responsibility for injustice and how we should act to change these unjust outcomes, to which end she proposes the Social Connection Model (SCM). The SCM explains a forward-looking conception of political responsibility, generated by an agent’s social connection to injustice. Young claims that this responsibility should be discharged through collective action with others who share this responsibility. Building on Young’s account, I argue the SCM provides important benefits towards collective approaches for addressing injustice. However, I suggest there is a present and pressing problem of inability: despite having this political responsibility, I argue that most agents do not presently have the ability to discharge this responsibility. To address this problem of inability, I suggest we ought to provide agents with a form of preparation to develop the required knowledge base and critical thinking skills to be able to recognize their political responsibility and take part in collective action to address injustice. I suggest that an important part of this preparation should take place in public education, grounded by both a citizen’s right and duty to be educated, as well as a democratic government’s responsibility to educate its citizens. I evaluate why education is the right place for this preparation to take place, examine what kind of education can produce this preparation, and question whether it is already underway.