John Rawls

Question 1

key ideas

Answer 1

1. theory of justice: society must be just and guarantee each citizen a life worth living
2. the veil of ignorance: individuals agree on the type of society they want from a position where they lack knowledge of their own position in society

Question 2

society

Answer 2

to create a just society, individuals need formal equality and greater economic and social equality

Question 3

the state

Answer 3

• this requires an enabling state to redistribute wealth, increase public spending and adopt progressive taxation
• the state should improve the condition of the poor but inequalities of outcome would remain to reflect individual differences. this is tolerable as long as deprivation does not worsen

Question 4

society/state

Answer 4

• humans, being rational and empathetic, would devise a new society where the poor received better treatment
• people would choose a fairer, more equal society. the enabling state required would be based on government by consent

Question 5

human nature/society

Answer 5

most people would still expect scope for indivual freedom. so, although the state would improve the condition of the poor, the gap between the top and bottom of society would not automatically be reduced