Envy: A Theory of Social Behaviour
- Helmut Schoeck (author)
This classic study is one of the few books to explore extensively the many facets of envy—“a drive which lies at the core of man’s life as a social being.” Ranging widely over literature, philosophy, psychology, and the social sciences, Professor Schoeck— a distinguished sociologist and anthropologist—elucidates both the constructive and destructive consequences of envy in social life. Perhaps most important, he demonstrates that not only the impetus toward a totalitarian regime but also the egalitarian impulse in democratic societies are alike in being rooted in envy.
Related People
Critical Responses
Book
A Theory of JusticeJohn Rawls
Rawls critiques the idea that opposition to inequality is merely envy-driven. He introduces the difference principle, arguing that some forms of inequality are only justifiable if they benefit the least advantaged—a perspective at odds with Schoeck’s view that envy is inherently destructive.
Book
Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of TastePierre Bourdieu
Bourdieu suggests that Schoeck’s focus on envy as an individual psychological trait ignores how social structures reinforce class divisions. He argues that inequality isn’t just about envy but about power structures that maintain privilege.
