a theory of justice john rawls sparknotes

Rawls awards the fair equality of opportunity principle lexical priority over the difference principle: Society cannot adjust inequality to maximize the proportion of those who are most vulnerable without providing positions and the opportunities that are necessary for the worse-off to achieve them. The principle is part of justice that established distributive justice. Second principle: the equality principle Rawls articulates the liberty principle as the most extensive basic liberty compatible with similar liberty for others in A Theory of Justice he later amended this in Political Liberalism, stating instead that 'each person has an equal claim to a fully adequate scheme of equal basic rights and liberties'. Thomas Mertens says Rawls believes that the principles of society are chosen by representative citizens on 'fair' terms.

The government must not alter, violate or remove such rights from individuals. As a fundamental freedom, these rights are inviolable. Rawls argued that 'certain rights and freedoms are more important or fundamental 'than others.' For example, Samuel Freeman argues, Rawls believes that 'personal property'-personal belongings, a home-constitutes a basic liberty, but an absolute right to unlimited private property is not. The first and most important principle is that everyone has the same rights as fundamental freedoms. Rawls originally presented the theory in his 1971 book A Theory of Justice, subsequently expanding upon several of its themes in his later book titled Political Liberalism.įirst principle: the liberty principle These principles are always applied so as to ensure that the 'least advantaged' are benefitted and not hurt or forgotten. The principles are, however, intended as a single, comprehensive conception of justice-'Justice as Fairness'-and not to function individually. This order determines the priorities of the principles if they conflict in practice.

Rawls arranges the principles in 'lexical priority,' prioritizing in the order of the liberty principle, fair equality of opportunity and the difference principle.

It comprises two main principles of liberty and equality the second is subdivided into fair equality of opportunity and the difference principle. In it he describes his conception of justice. ' Justice as Fairness: Political not Metaphysical' is an essay by John Rawls, published in 1985. For the 2001 book version, see Justice as Fairness: A Restatement.

A theory of justice john rawls sparknotes