 These statements all express a widespread view that a political community should seek to ensure that its members are all able to enjoy at least a minimally decent standard of living. They assert the importance of what is often called the social minimum. However, the exact nature of the social minimum, the considerations that support it, and even its basic justifiability, are all matters of philosophical controversy. The aim here is to provide a guide through the terrain of these controversies. This is done in three stages.