These essays examine the standards by which social and political institutions should be justified and appraised. The collection includes the classic essays 'Preference and Urgency', 'A Theory of Freedom of Expression', and 'Contractualism and Utilitarianism', as well as a number of other essays that have hitherto not been easily accessible.

This volume presents Scanlon's classic essays in political philosophy written between 1969 and 1999.