This book investigates the conceptual validity and practical implications of equality of opportunity as a foundational principle for a fair society. Matt Cavanagh, a political philosopher, challenges the prevailing consensus that equality of opportunity is an inherently desirable or coherent goal. He argues that the term is often used as an empty shorthand for various allocation methods, and he proposes a radical shift in how society should conceptualize fairness and social distribution.

Experts in political philosophy recognize this work as a rigorous critique of contemporary liberal egalitarianism. Readers frequently note the dense, analytical nature of the prose, which is intended for an academic audience familiar with moral and political theory.