At a time when public policy is overwhelmingly shaped by short-term pressures, Prof. Shlomi Segall, from the Department of Political Science and the Philosophy, Economics and Political Science program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, challenges readers in his new book, The Future of Equality, to confront a fundamental moral question: what do principles of distributive justice say about people who do not yet exist?
Focusing on the future of humanity through the lens of political philosophy and equality, the book challenges familiar assumptions about demography, justice, and moral responsibility. Contrary to the prevailing narrative among many demographers, Segall argues that relatively high birth rates can carry significant moral and economic advantages rather than representing an inherent burden. From this perspective, demographic vitality is not only compatible with egalitarian thinking, but may in fact support it.
Central to the book is the claim that democratic systems must develop tools for representing the interests of future people. Segall points to past institutional innovations, such as Israel’s former Commissioner for Future Generations, as examples of how political systems can acknowledge that decisions made today shape lives decades ahead. A functioning parliament, he argues, should not only represent existing citizens, but also take into account those who will inherit the long-term consequences of current policies.
Although the book adopts a global rather than a state-centric perspective, its insights carry clear implications for national policymaking. Decisions in areas such as housing, education, infrastructure, environmental protection, and natural resource management directly affect the quality of life of future populations. Political philosophy, Segall suggests, can help decision-makers move beyond crisis-driven governance and adopt a more forward-looking ethical framework. One practical implication is the importance of maintaining demographic sustainability, including ensuring that population replacement rates do not fall below critical thresholds.
A key concept developed in the book is that of “standing” — the question of who has the right to complain about injustice. While this idea is most often applied to future people, it also sheds light on the experiences of disadvantaged groups in the present, particularly those who feel that social structures have already determined their life chances. By examining who can legitimately claim injustice, the book offers a nuanced way of thinking about inequality without collapsing all moral claims into a single category.
The book also addresses one of the most acute dilemmas facing societies like Israel: the tension between immediate security needs and long-term social investment. Segall’s work seeks to balance the urgent claims of people living here and now with the moral importance of safeguarding the interests of those who will come after them. This framework is especially relevant to debates over natural resources such as gas reserves or the Dead Sea, where today’s economic gains must be weighed against the interests of future generations.
Finally, the book engages with the idea of “possible people” — individuals who may or may not be born depending on policy choices. By exploring moral dilemmas surrounding unequal life chances, Segall highlights how vastly different starting points, whether between regions or social groups, raise profound ethical questions. These issues resonate strongly in societies marked by sharp disparities between center and periphery, where a child’s circumstances are often shaped from the moment of birth.
By bringing abstract philosophical debates into conversation with real-world policy challenges, Shlomi Segall’s book offers a timely and rigorous contribution to discussions about equality, responsibility, and the moral horizon of democratic decision-making.