Justice with Michael Sandel — Season 1, Episode 3: Free to Choose/Who Owns Me?

Episode synopsis

Sandel introduces the libertarian conception of individual rights, according to which only a minimal state is justified. Libertarians argue that government shouldnt have the power to enact laws that 1) protect people from themselves, such as seat belt laws, 2) impose some peoples moral values on society as a whole, or 3) redistribute income from the rich to the poor. Sandel explains the libertarian notion that redistributive taxation is akin to forced labor with references to Bill Gates and Michael Jordan.

About Justice with Michael Sandel

Justice is the first Harvard course to be made freely available online and on public television. In this 12-part series, college professor Michael Sandel challenges us with hard moral dilemmas and invites us to ponder the right thing to do-in politics and in our everyday lives.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Moral Side of Murder/The Case for Cannibalism
• E2Putting a Price Tag on Life/How to Measure Pleasure
• E4The Land is My Land/Consenting Adults
• E5Hired Guns?/For Sale: Motherhood
• E6Mind Your Motive/The Supreme Principle of Morality
• E7A Lesson In Lying/A Deal Is A Deal
• E8What's A Fair Start?/What Do We Deserve?
• E9Arguing Affirmative Action/What's The Purpose?
• E10The Good Citizen/ Freedom Vs. Fit
• E11The Claims Of Community/Where Our Loyaty Lies
• E12Debating Same-Sex Marriage/The Good Life