Since the publication of Just and Unjust Wars in 1977, Michael Walzer has functioned as a central figure in political ethics, challenging the tendency of contemporary philosophy to rely on excessive abstraction. Born in New York City in 1935, he has spent decades arguing that political theory must remain deeply grounded in the traditions and social meanings of particular societies.
Academic Formation and Early Career
Walzer completed his undergraduate studies at Brandeis University in 1956. He subsequently traveled to the University of Cambridge on a Fulbright Scholarship before returning to the United States to earn his Doctor of Philosophy in government from Harvard University in 1961. His teaching career began at Princeton University in 1962, followed by a long tenure in the government department at Harvard University starting in 1966. In 1980, he joined the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he eventually became a professor emeritus.
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Often identified as a proponent of communitarianism alongside thinkers like Michael J. Sandel and Alasdair MacIntyre, Walzer maintains a skeptical view of such labels. His 1983 work, Spheres of Justice, articulates a theory of complex equality, suggesting that justice is not achieved through a single metric of goods. Instead, he argues that different social goods—such as money or political influence—should be distributed according to their unique social meanings to prevent one sphere from distorting others.
Just War and Political Ethics
Beyond his work on domestic equality, Walzer is recognized for his contribution to just war theory. His research focuses on the intersection of ethics and wartime conduct, explicitly rejecting pacifism in favor of a framework that addresses moral obligations during conflict. His writings have expanded into topics including Zionism, nationalism, and the nature of toleration, which he explored in his 1997 book, On Toleration, by examining various historical and modern examples ranging from multinational empires to immigrant societies.
Institutional Affiliations and Public Intellectualism
Walzer has maintained a long-standing association with the magazine Dissent, where he served as editor emeritus. His public intellectual output includes over 300 articles and reviews in publications such as The New Republic, The New York Review of Books, and The New Yorker. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1971 and the American Philosophical Society in 1990, he has received various honors, including the Benjamin E. Lippincott Award in 1991 and the Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize in 1998.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, New York City
- Education: Brandeis University, University of Cambridge, Harvard University
- Primary Employment: Harvard University, Institute for Advanced Study
- Notable Book: Just and Unjust Wars (1977)
- Notable Book: Spheres of Justice (1983)
- Awards: Benjamin E. Lippincott Award (1991), Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize (1998)
- Professional Affiliation: Dissent magazine editor emeritus
Questions readers ask
What is the theory of complex equality?
It is the argument that different social goods must be distributed according to their own internal logic and social meaning, preventing one good like money from dominating all other areas of life.
What is Michael Walzer's stance on war?
He is a leading proponent of just war theory, which insists that moral and ethical standards must apply to wartime conduct, while explicitly eschewing a pacifist position.
Achievements
- Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize — 1998
- Notable work: La paradoxa de l’alliberament
- Notable work: Zionism and Judaism: The Paradox of National Liberation
- Held posts at Harvard University
