John Rawls: Theory of Justice, NTA- UGC-NET/JRF, Political theory/HTET/CUET

John Rawls
Theory of Justice
Introduction
American Philosopher
Liberal perspective
Procedural theory of justice
Justice as fairness
Major works:-
A theory of justice- 1971
Political liberalism- 1993
The law of peoples: The idea of public reason revisited- 1999
Justice as fairness: A restatement- 2001
The purpose of Rawls to introduce the theory of justice was to find a way to create a well-ordered society.
Features
1. Just distribution of primary goods.
2. Pure procedural theory of justice.
3. Based on some assumptions.
4. Follow the method of social contract theory (Kantian)
5. Justice is first virtue of a good society
Assumptions
1. Original position
2. Veil of ignorance.
3. Maximin principle.
4. Have elementary knowledge of economics and psychology.
5. Self-interested but not egoist.
6. Not ready to take risk.
Principles of Distributions
1. Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others - Principle of Equal Liberty.
2. Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both -
A. To the greatest benefit of the least advantaged - difference principle
B. Attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity.- fair equality of opportunity principle
Criticism
1. Try to justify capitalist system- Collectivists.
2. Very difficult to identify the disadvantaged group.
3. Without knowing social and economic conditions, principles of justice can not be enacted - Marxists.
4. Sacrificed liberty for equality- Libertarians.
5. Ethical neutrality evades the opportunity of the pursuit of the common good- Communitarians.
Dr. Vikas Khokhar
Kushal Classes
Political Science