Week 4 Justice Flashcards
Inequality
a situation in which there is a lack of equality
Inequity
a lack of fairness
Fairness
the quality of being morally or ethically fair
Fair
that happens according to what is considered to be right, just, etc
Just
fair and morally good
Social
Contract
The social contract is a theoretical
concept that represents the
agreement or implicit contract among
individuals to come together and form
a society.
This contract typically involves
individuals surrendering some of their
natural freedoms and agreeing to
abide by certain rules, laws, and
norms in exchange for the benefits
and protection provided by society
and its governing institutions.
According to Rawls, society is torn
between
a conflict of interest
as peoples are
not indifferent as to how the greater
benefits produced by their
collaboration are distributed)
and
social cooperation that would make
possible a better life for all than any
would have if each were to live
solely by his own efforts.
John Rawls
“Justice is the first virtue of social
institutions, as truth is to systems of
thought.
A theory however elegant and
economical must be rejected or
revised if it is untrue; likewise laws
and institutions no matter how
efficient and well-arranged must be
reformed if they are unjust.”
* The Kantian commitment: each
individual is a member of the
kingdom of ends
* Rawls’ theory is intended as a
corrective to the possibility that
utilitarianism will fail to honor
the moral distinctiveness of
individuals
* For Rawls, the right is defined
prior to the good
* We must see Justice as fairness,
by abiding to Social contract
theory
Rawls’
Social Contract
- Links up moral choice (consent)
and rational choice: - the original position and the veil of
ignorance as a way to avoid the
principles of justice being infected
by self-interest. - Hypothetical contract that
identifies the most basic
principles of justice. - Such a contractarian approach
could also be (and has been) used
to justify utilitarianism.
Rawls’
Original Position
*the original position is one where people of equal liberty choose basic principles to guide political decisions
*For Rawls this corresponds to the state of nature in the traditional theory of social contract
*The choice is made by people behind a veil of ignorance about their assets, capabilities, gender etc.
* Under the “veil of ignorance”, people
wouldn’t know the characteristics of
their society, except that it is in “the
circumstances of justice”
* The scenario is designed to illustrate
what principles an unbiased person
would choose, and is a powerful tool for
discounting partial, possibly
unconscious, assumptions.
* For Rawls, those choices are made
through rational choice
* rather then being based on altruism
* People rationally value certain
primary goods:
* rights, liberties, opportunities, income, wealth, selfrespect
* Rawls’ rational choice is rather riskaverse He thinks that people’s
aversion to risk will make them
desire to secure their fundamental
interests is within the normal range
First
Principle = Liberty Principle
- Each person is to have an
equal right to the most
extensive total system of
equal basic liberties
compatible with a similar
system of liberty for all
Second Principle = difference principle and fair equality of opportunity principle
difference principle = to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged (the difference principle)
fair equality of opportunity principle = offices and positions are open to all
under conditions of fair equality of
opportunity
Wheel of power/privilege
The Wheel illustrate how different social
categories and identities intersect to create
systems of power and privilege or
marginalization and oppression.
Wheel of power/privilege -
- The “Power” section of the wheel
represents groups that typically enjoy a
fuller range of liberties and rights, while
the “Marginalized” section includes those
whose basic liberties are more likely to be
compromised or limited. - Rawls would argue that the disparities
illustrated in the wheel should be
addressed to ensure that all individuals,
regardless of their position on the wheel,
have equal basic liberties. - The wheel highlights the need to protect
the freedoms of marginalized groups to
ensure they have the same extensive basic
liberties as those in positions of power.
Wheel of power/privilege - The Difference Principle:
- The Wheel’s “Marginalized” segments
identify groups that Rawls would consider
the “least advantaged,” whose
socioeconomic position should be
improved as a matter of justice. - The privileges enjoyed by the “Power”
section indicate inequalities that would
need to be arranged to benefit the least
advantaged, as per Rawls’ theory. - In Rawlsian terms, the wheel can be used
to identify and prioritize social and
economic policies that would help level the
playing field, providing fair opportunities
and benefits for those in the
“Marginalized” section.
