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Why did Martha Nussbaum argue that every person deserves conditions for a decent quality of life?

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The Code of Hammurabi diorite stela, with carved figures at the top showing Hammurabi seated with cuneiform inscriptions below. — Political philosophy Diorite stela inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi, 18th century bce.

Martha Nussbaum argues that every person deserves the conditions for a decent quality of life based on her capabilities approach, a framework she developed to evaluate justice and political arrangements.1

Rather than focusing solely on economic metrics, Nussbaum asserts that society should be judged by whether it fosters or frustrates the individual capacities essential for "fully human functioning"—a state of basic human flourishing. She maintains that these capabilities are grounded in the universal values of human dignity, equal worth, and autonomy, which provide the freedom for individuals to conceive and pursue their own vision of a good life.12

For Nussbaum, these essential capacities include:
* Living a life of normal length and having good health.1
* Maintaining bodily integrity.1
* Using one's mind with freedom of expression.1
* Forming emotional attachments and participating in political decision making.1

By supporting these basic opportunities, she argues that societies can empower individuals to choose how they will pursue their own flourishing, rather than imposing a specific set of values upon them.1