This is philosophy bites with me David Edmonds and me Nigel Warburton.

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Early in 2008 the 2008 the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued an apology on behalf of his nation for its treatment of the indigenous population.

The idea that a nation rather than one or more individuals can be collectively

responsible for some action is a contentious one. After all, there are many Australians who

weren't born when the most callous policies against

Aborigines were implemented.

And why should recent arrivals to Australia apologize?

What's more, victims rather than culprits of these policies are Australian nationals too?

Why should an apology be issued in their name and indeed why should they make any contribution

to reparations through their taxes. David Miller of Nuffield College

Oxford is author of a recent book about justice and collective responsibility.

David Miller, welcome to Philosophy Bites. Hello I'm very pleased responsibility. I can understand how an individual is responsible for something and

morally responsible, but how can a nation be held responsible for something?

Well I think it's important to take this in a series of steps. Before we get to nations I think we should

think about the collective responsibility of groups of people. One of the examples I use in my

book is that of a crowd of people rampaging through a neighborhood causing damage and fear and alarm to the various inhabitants.

And I use as an example of how there's a collective responsibility for what they do over and above the particular

responsibility of the individuals who make up the crowd. So if it's a question later

on about who should repair the damage that's been caused, then that would in the first instance be a responsibility

of the whole group who caused the rampage.

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