Creating and sustaining just food systems

Abstract

AbstractWhat does it mean for liberal states to permit and endorse non-vegan food systems, and what do the arguments of this book mean for people today? Although states ‘permitting’ food production methods is relatively straightforward, states ‘supporting’ them is not. The book does not commit to a particular ‘flavour’ of liberalism, so the chapter canvasses a range of liberal approaches, exploring the tools they contain for supporting non-vegan food systems. This includes minarchist liberalism, perfectionist liberalism, social-democratic liberalism, and public-reason liberalism. The chapter briefly considers non-liberal states, too. Although the book is not concerned primarily with non-ideal theory, the chapter points towards the non-ideal complement to the book’s ideal theorizing. First, it reflects on what the ideal theorizing may mean for individual diets today. Second, it reflects on what it may mean for states transitioning from unjust to just structures. Third, it reflects on what it may mean for activist organizations.