Hegemonic world orders, distributional (in)justice and global social change

Abstract Focusing on the relationship between distributional justice and hegemonic world orders, this article turns attention to a fundamental contradiction in historical capitalism profitability legitimacy that manifests itself successive creative destructions of orders. Through comparative–historical analysis hegemonies, I show increasing injustices during periods ‘legitimacy crisis’ compel new powers pragmatically address some these as part their hegemony-building strategies. Despite growing efforts by such injustices, social global inequalities capitalist world-economy tend increase over time. As increase, are compelled make greater promises undertake much order gain intellectual moral leadership an emergent order. Yet, none become successful long run because even partial successes redistribution policies pave way for ‘profitability crises’ undermined hegemonies. This dynamic poses several challenges achieving