Rawls’s two principles Flashcards
principle 1
(the “Liberty Principle”)
- “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others”
- Covers how the “basic liberties” are to be distributed
principle 2
- Covers how “income and wealth” are to be distributed and how organizations that “make use of differences in authority and responsibility” are to be organized
(A): the “Difference principle”
(B): the “Fair equal opportunity principle”
essentially…
Rawls is saying that no society is just unless its basic structure - its political constitution, its laws and government policies, and its economic and social make-up - is in accord with Principles 1 and 2.
justice as fairness
- Rawls’ principles express a political vision that we might call “egalitarian liberalism” (or “social democracy”).
- social institutions are to be fair to all cooperating members of society, regardless of their race, gender, religion, class of origin, natural talents, reasonable conception of the good life, and so on.
- Rawls calls it “justice as fairness”.
- Justice as fairness is liberal in virtue of two things
-> Principle 1
Rules out granting basic liberties to some that are denied to others
-> Rawls’ insistence that principle 1 takes priority over principle 2
Rules out sacrificing basic liberties for the sake of equality: liberty trumps equality in Rawls’ view
egalitarian liberalism
Justice as fairness is egalitarian in virtue of principle 2. This principle prohibits all income inequalities that are not both (i) open to everyone and (ii) such as to make everyone better off than they would have been without the inequality
formal quality of opportunity
Since all human lives are of equal importance, there should be no legal barriers to filling socially desirable positions
fair equality of opportunity
- Since all human lives are of equal importance, there should be no legal barriers to filling socially desirable positions
- Individuals who are equally talented and motivated should have equal chances of filling socially desirable positions
the difference principle + the fair equal opportunity principle
Entail that inequalities stemming from accidents of birth and upbringing are unjust
second argument for justice as fairness by Rawls
Suppose you had to create a society from scratch. This society is the one you will have to spend the rest of your life in. But you don’t know anything about what kind of person you’ll be in this society. You are thus in the “original position” of having to choose principles for a society from behind a “veil of ignorance” regarding your place in that society. Rawls claims that rational people in such a situation would choose his two principles, justice as fairness.
rawls’ first argument for justice as fairness
- He says that a just society is a fair one in which all benefit from social cooperation and no one is unduly disadvantaged by factors over which they had no control.
- Rawls’ claim is that any society whose basic structure is in accord with his two principles will meet this condition
But… justice as fairness is quite demanding. Nothing currently existing in society is anything like full accord with Rawls’ principles.
conservative/communitarian perpective objective to justice as fairness
Rawls’ principles are too individualistic in their stress on personal liberty. What about values to do with the family, religion, or community solidarity?
strict egalitarian/socialist perpective objective to justice as fairness
Rawls’ theory places a presumption of equality but is willing to tolerate inequalities based on incentives. But doesn’t that give people who happen to have in-demand abilities or skills a way of gaming the system in their favor?
“libertarian” perpective objective to justice as fairness
Rawls’ theory claims to put a premium on individual liberty but it fails at this because insofar as Principle 2 requires taxing the wealthy so as to equalize outcomes, the principle violates the liberty of the wealthy.
