Journal of Economic Literature
Book Reviews
2026-08-28
Bernard Hoekman of World Bank reviews “Economic Justice in an Unfair World: Toward a Level Playing Field” by Ethan B. Kapstein,. The EconLit Abstract of the reviewed work begins “Explores the debate over what constitutes a fairer, more just world economy--a level playing field for global economic transactions. Addresses the distributive complications that lie at the heart of controversies over economic justice. Discusses normative questions about how scarce foreign aid funds should be distributed among nations. Studies issues in migration and labor standards as a way of addressing the broader topic of the conflicts in values that must inevitably arise among the members of an interdependent economic system. Considers relations between multinational firms and developing-world governments, and what might constitute a level playing field between them. Discusses how the major international institutions seem to conceptualize the problem of economic justice in the world today and maps the contours of some politically feasible changes with respect to contemporary economic arrangements. Kapstein is Paul Dubrule Professor of Sustainable Development at INSEAD. Bibliography; index.”