On Deservingness : The Stories and Systems That Sustain Inequality

On Deservingness digs into how societies decide who merits help, opportunity, and belonging, and uncovers how those judgments become embedded in public policy and everyday life.

Drawing on history, economics, philosophy, and contemporary policy debates, economist Evelyn L. Forget reveals the narratives that shape welfare programs, immigration systems, health care, education, and criminal justice. She traces how these ideas influence not only how resources are distributed, but also how people come to be seen as responsible and trustworthy – or undeserving.

From medieval fears of outsiders to modern algorithmic decision-making, Forget shows how deservingness justifies exclusion and inequality while appearing natural or inevitable. She challenges the myth that poverty is primarily the result of individual failure, revealing instead how moral judgments are deeply and invisibly woven into modern institutions.

At a moment of growing inequality and social division, On Deservingness offers readers a new way to understand the hidden architecture shaping public life and to imagine alternatives.