John Rawls (1921-2002)

an AMERICAN philosopher

Rawls-Context

• 20th century

• Cold War period

• 1960s-period of cultural revolution

  • promotion of freedom and toleration

• published ‘a Theory of Justice’ in 1971

• justice as fairness

• influence on new labour policies

which Rawlsian principle takes precedence in a conflict?

liberty principle

Rawls-Human Nature

• emphasised the empathetic side of human nature

  • self- interested beings

• humans have the capacity for genuine toleration and mutual respect

• Says that when faced with such conditions, human nature being both rational and empathetic would lead individuals to create a fair society, where inequalities were reduced.

• The emphasis is placed on the individual choice to create a fairer society, rather than having an unequal one imposed upon them.

  • Therefore an enlarged state and higher taxation is consistent with government by consent. 

Rawls-society

• individuals would choose a fairer society from a ‘veil of ignorance’

  • means that individuals would have no preconceptions regarding the sort of attributes they may have in this new society

  • don’t know their race/gender/status etc

• to create a just society, we need to agree on principles behind justice

  • liberty principle-freedom of expression , legal and political rights

  • difference principle-inequalities are permissible provided they are positions that are attached to a public office or a role of social benefit

critique of difference principle

we dont know :what qualifies as a social benefit?

critique of the veil of ignorance

• relies on the assumption that individuals are risk-averse

• some people may accept the risk due to the chance of being born into favourable social circumstance

Rawls’ Stance on meritocracy

• not a justification for income inequality- people earning more than others

  • because talent is natural and people can be born with it

  • and talent is one of the feature of a person that need to ignore in order for ‘veil of ignorance’ to be successful

• should not be the SKILL that is rewarded but the societal benefit that it brings

Rawls- The State

• advocate if an enabling state-continuing TH Green’s philosophy

• state intervention is necessary for redistribution of wealth to create equality of opportunity

  • e.g. through public spending and progressive taxation

what did Friedrich von Hayek suggest about redistribution of wealth?

argued that it was a ‘surrender to socialism’, however Rawls combatted this by constructing a set of philosophical principles

Rawls- the economy

• capitalist economy

• state intervention to ensure equality of opportunity (but not equality of outcome as socialism suggests)

  • redistribution of wealth

• however classical liberals would argue that taxation is an infringement on property rights