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Questions and Answers
According to Rawls, society is a cooperative venture for mutual advantage, and he argues that the correct principles of justice are determined by:
According to John Rawls's theory, which principle should be prioritized when distributing primary goods?
In Rawls's theory, what is the purpose of the veil of ignorance?
Which of the following is NOT considered a primary good in Rawls's theory?
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According to Libertarians, which of the following is considered the ONLY rights?
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What information is hidden from individuals behind the veil of ignorance in Rawls's theory?
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Rawls argues that the idealized 'fair' conditions where individuals are behind the veil of ignorance ensure that the social contract is:
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Which of the following principles is NOT included in the Libertarian tradition?
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According to Rawls's theory, which of the following is considered a socio-economic right?
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In Rawls's theory, the original position refers to the hypothetical situation where individuals are behind the veil of ignorance and:
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Which of the following principles is NOT included in Rawls's Social Contract?
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Which aspect does Rawls stress should be ignored behind the veil of ignorance when individuals are deciding on principles of justice?
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What is the core of John Rawls's theory?
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Which of the following is not a primary good in Rawls's theory?
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How are political rights and opportunities distributed according to Rawls's theory?
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What condition justifies unequal distribution of socio-economic resources according to the difference principle?
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What does lexical priority mean in Rawls's theory?
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How does Rawls argue for his theory?
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Study Notes
Rawls' Theory of Justice
- Rawls claims that the principles of justice are given by the social contract people would agree to under idealized conditions.
- In these conditions, everyone is behind a "veil of ignorance," where they don't know their:
- Race, ethnicity, gender, age, or income
- Wealth, natural endowments, or generation in society
- Behind the veil, people know:
- They have different life plans that require primary goods
- Society is under conditions of moderate scarcity
- General facts and common sense about human social life
- General conclusions of science, including economics and psychology
- The veil of ignorance ensures that citizens cannot choose a morally arbitrary or self-interested social contract.
Principles of Justice
- Rawls proposes three principles of justice:
- Principle 1: Political rights and opportunities are to be distributed equally, ensuring political equality (PE).
- Principle 2: Socio-economic rights and opportunities are to be distributed according to substantial equality of opportunity (SEO).
- Principle 3: Socio-economic resources are to be distributed according to the Difference Principle (Maxmin).
Lexical Priority
- The principles of justice have a lexical priority, meaning they are to be satisfied in a specific order:
- Political equality (PE)
- Substantial equality of opportunity (SEO)
- Maximin (Difference Principle)
Social Contract
- The social contract is an imaginary agreement between free and equal citizens under "fair" conditions.
- Rawls asks: what social contract would citizens agree to under these conditions?
Consequentialism and Welfarism
- Consequentialism: the state should enact policies that lead to the best outcome.
- Welfarism: the state should only consider the distribution of well-being.
Rights and Social Justice
- Libertarianism is the combination of seven claims, including:
- A policy is just if and only if it doesn't violate anyone's rights
- The only rights are property rights
- Principle of Just Acquisition
- Principle of Just Transfer
- Principle of Just Rectification
- No one is entitled to holding except by applications of the three principles
- The only sense in which an outcome can be said to be just is if the process that produced it is just
- Libertarians argue that taxation is unjust because it involves forced transfer of property without the owner's consent.
- However, libertarians allow for taxation to fund police to protect people's property rights.
John Rawls' Theory
- Rawls' theory is characterized by his three principles for distributing primary goods.
- Rawls argues that his theory is based on the principles of justice that people would agree to under idealized conditions.
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Description
Test your knowledge on John Rawls' Theory of Justice which posits that the correct principles of justice are those that individuals would agree to under idealized fair conditions behind a veil of ignorance. Explore Rawls' three principles and the concept of a social contract as a cooperative venture for mutual advantage.
