The first chapter on social criticism and political philosophy examines the nature of political philosophy itself. The next four chapters deal with the justification of a system of liberal rights and with the limitations societies can legitimately place on the freedom of citizens to do what pleases or profits them. Consideration is given to whether characteristic institutions of a liberal society can be presented to those who do not start from liberal premises, legitimate grievances of ethnic minorities, what demands members of society can make on each other, the conflict between utilitarianism and rights, and social choice theory. Subsequent chapters discuss the hard choices societies have to make in allocating scarce resources, social or distributive justice, and problems that arise in relations between different generations. Finally, chapter topics cover the ethics of resource depletion and the continuing relevance of socialism. Footnotes