I think the imagination helps us move out of the purely oppositional mentality and see the world in a richer and more variegated way.
Martha C. NussbaumChoice matters. You might have the opportunity to eat a nutritious diet, though you might choose to eat a lousy diet. What matters is the opportunity.
Martha C. NussbaumPeople have a deep need to be legislators, and the idea of autonomy has become very precious.
Martha C. NussbaumWith the rise of capitalism, it became more obvious that people pursue individual self-interest. The great nationalist in Italy, Giuseppe Mazzini, a wonderful philosopher, said that we need the nation. We need something that people can lean on, from which they can then reach out to the whole world. The idea of all humanity is too vague. It can't motivate human aspiration in a reliable way.
Martha C. NussbaumProperty rights can improve a woman's ability to stand up to violence in the home. You might think education and employment are important because they give women exit options, but property is as well. Give women equal property rights to inherited land, then they have an asset they can take out of the marriage. This gives husbands strong incentives to not beat them.
Martha C. Nussbaum