Chandler is a lucid and elegant writer, and there’s an earnest sense of excitement propelling his argument.

A stirring call by an LSE philosopher and economist for egalitarian liberalism based on the ideas of John Rawls.

[Chandler's] goal, then, is to present a joined-up approach motivated and inspired by Rawls, rather than a faithful, literal rendering. And as a way of making Rawls relevant to policy this seems exactly right.

It is not that these views are necessarily wrong, but they are rote. They all follow from one another among a certain set. This predictability is a shame, because Chandler’s book promises more.

Those of us who are fans of Mill, Bertrand Russell and other egalitarian liberals will find much to like in Free and Equal. It does, however, raise a familiar question. How are we to get from here to there?.

Thorny questions or no, Chandler brings good cheer and a positive outlook to the work of reshaping society, which marks an advance on the usual gloom and doom..