This essay will be concerned exclusively with questions about what justice demands of the liberal state with respect to end of life care. A liberal state is one that has a representative government, and that guarantees to its citizens extensive political rights, including religious freedom, freedom of assembly and speech, privacy rights, rights against arbitrary imprisonment, and so forth. In a liberal state, as citizens, individuals are equal. A liberal state does not aim to promote a particular ideal of individual life. Responsibility for individual outcomes is shared between individuals and the state. Individuals possess and are regarded as possessing extensive responsibility for shaping their own lives. The state has extensive responsibilities, too. It must provide an impartial and neutral environment in which individuals can shape their own lives. So there must be equality of opportunity and a safety net to help out in cases of misfortune. In guaranteeing opportunity and assisting in misfortune, the state must, however, avoid intruding. With respect to individual flourishing, a liberal state is more like a facilitator or an insurer than a nanny.
