Deck 31: Reparation and the Problem of Agency Chandran Kukathas

Question 1

Kukathas's main contention is that making reparation for past wrongs is almost always

A) morally required.
B) morally unjustified.
C) morally permissible.
D) None of the above

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In order for reparation to be defensible, Kukathas claims that it must be possible to identify who is

A) entitled to compensation.
B) liable to pay.
C) Both a and b
D) Neither a nor b

Answer 2

C

Question 3

According to Kukathas, the problem of identifying the agents relevant to establishing claims for restitution is made difficult by

A) the passage of time.
B) racial resentments.
C) government inaction.
D) All of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

According to Kukathas, the general problem in distinguishing descendants of past injustice is that

A) it is easy to reach a point at which too many people can be identified as descendants.
B) it is difficult to trace the ancestry of individuals.
C) many individuals refuse to identify as victims.
D) All of the above

Question 5

According to Kukathas, the Seminole Indians

A) were dispossessed of their lands.
B) practiced slavery.
C) worked for the US army.
D) All of the above

Question 6

Kukathas discusses the case of the Seminole Indians to show that

A) it can be difficult to determine the descendants of victimized groups.
B) groups can be both victims and perpetrators of injustice.
C) many different groups are owed reparation.
D) All of the above

Question 7

According to Kukathas, identifying groups that are descended from victims of past injustice has an advantage over identifying individuals because

A) groups persist over a greater length of time.
B) the ancestry of groups can be traced without a problem.
C) the most serious injustices of the past were committed against groups.
D) All of the above

Question 8

Kukathas argues that determining who should be held liable for restitution is difficult because of

A) the number of groups and countries involved in past injustices.
B) generations of immigration.
C) intermarriage.
D) All of the above

Question 9

Kukathas claims that a government can be held responsible for rectifying past injustices

A) as a last resort when society has been unable to remedy an injustice.
B) when the government itself committed the injustice.
C) Both a and b
D) Neither a nor b

Question 10

Kukathas allows that governments may compensate descendants of victims of past injustice in order to repair the

A) fabric of a society that has been torn by serious injustices in its history.
B) wrongs done to people in the past.
C) Both a and b
D) Neither a nor b

Question 11

According to Kukathas, making reparations for past wrongs is morally justifiable, except in some special cases.

Question 12

According to Kukathas, the argument for holding descendants of perpetrators of past injustice liable for making reparations is weakened by the fact that people's identities are complex mixtures of different inheritances.

Question 13

According to Kukathas, it is impossible to be both a victim and perpetrator of injustice.

Question 14

Kukathas argues that in order for reparations to be defensible it must be possible to identity who is liable to pay and precisely how much must be paid.

Question 15

Kukathas argues that governments should never be held responsible for rectifying past injustices.

Question 16

Kukathas claims that making reparations for past injustices is almost never morally justified. How does Kukathas defend this claim? Is his defense convincing in your view? Why or why not?

Question 17

Kukathas claims that there are difficulties in holding groups such as companies and private organizations like churches responsible for restitution for past injustice. What are these difficulties? Can these difficulties be overcome, or do they undermine any attempt to hold groups liable for the costs of restitution?

Question 18

Kukathas claims that governments should not step in to rectify injustices that societies have been unable to remedy. What is Kukathas's argument for this claim? Is his argument convincing?