The Efficiency of Fairness

If most people were malicious, and were willing to regularly attack and coerce others in ways they considered to be unjust, there would be no hope of emerging from perpetual violence. Conveniently, this is just not how the typical human operates. While there are exceptions, most people are reluctant to use force unless they feel threatened and believe it to be justified. Any position that arbitrarily empowers some over others is inherently less effective at generating consensus than a position recognizing symmetrical rights. When one demands arbitrary power over others, it merely suggests to others that they do the same. When we recognize this, and recognize how expensive it can be to enforce a heavily contested position, the benefits of fairness become apparent. By honoring symmetrical rights for others whenever we assert a right of our own, we provide a foundation for consensus and collaboration. Any other approach promotes destructive conflict.