JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS

John Rawls/

Important American Political Philosopher in the 20th Century

John Rawls

Rejects Utilitarianism

John Rawls.

SLAVERY IS WRONG

John Rawls

SLAVERY IS UNJUST for it does not consider individual right inviolable

Slavery is unjust

John Rawls said that ___________________ for it does not consider individual right inviolable

John Rawls\

Author of Justice and Fairness?

Rawls First Principle, Rawls Second Principle

What are the Justice as Fairness?

Liberty Principle

What is Rawls' First Principle?

Liberty Principle

It concerns political institutions

Rawls' First Principle

"Each person has the same and indefeasible [permanent] claim to a fully adequate scheme of equal basic liberties, which scheme is compatible with the same scheme of liberties for all."

Liberty Principle. Equality. Give them what they deserve. Fairness. The rights or liberties of one person must also be enjoyed by all. Omitted the right to own means of production such as mines, factories, and farms

What are the Things in the Rawls First Principle?

Rawls First Principle

What are these.

Liberty Principle. Equality. Give them what they deserve. Fairness. The rights or liberties of one person must also be enjoyed by all. Omitted the right to own means of production such as mines, factories, and farms

Rawls Second Principle

"Social and economic inequalities are to satisfy two conditions (1) first, they are to be attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity, and (2) second, they are to be to the greatest benefit of the least-advantaged members of society (the 'Difference Principle)"

Difference and Inequality among people. A society cannot avoid inequalities among its people. Fair Equality of Opportunity. Best jobs must be open to everybody in the society. Difference Principle. Maximize the improvement of the least advantaged people in society. Guaranteed minimum income or Minimum wage

What are the things in Rawls Second Principle

Rawls Second Principle

What are these.

Difference and Inequality among people. A society cannot avoid inequalities among its people. Fair Equality of Opportunity. Best jobs must be open to everybody in the society. Difference Principle. Maximize the improvement of the least advantaged people in society. Guaranteed minimum income or Minimum wage

Social Contract, Veil of Ignorance, Original Position, Maximin Rule

What are the Rawls Thought Experiment?

Rawls Thought Experiment

Social Contract, Veil of Ignorance, Original Position, Maximin Rule

Social Contract

This contract was established by philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. They theorized that people in the olden days made a contract where they entered an agreement with a ruler.

Veil of Ignorance

People do not know their gender, age, race, social class, wealth, or status.

Original Position

Its Primary Goods are Wealth and Income, Rights and Liberties, Opportunities for Advancement, and Self Respect

Wealth and Income. Rights and Liberties. Opportunities for Advancement. Self-respect

What are the Primary Goods in Original Position?

Maximin Rule.

In real-world terms, this principle suggests that policies should be designed to improve the well-being of the least fortunate in society.

Maximin Rule

By following this along with the veil of ignorance, they would choose a system that maximizes the well-being of the least advantaged. Why?

Maximin Rule

For example, a fair society would support stronger social safety nets (like higher minimum wages, access to education, and healthcare) to ensure that even those with the least resources have a decent quality of life.

Liberty Principle

Everyone should have an equal right to basic liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to vote.

Difference Principle

Social and economic inequalities are only acceptable if they benefit the least advantaged members of society and everyone has fair opportunities to succeed.

Strengths on Rawls Principle

•Incentivized to make decisions that benefit everyone

•Ensures that everyone has equal BASIC liberties including worst-off members

Criticisms on Rawls Principle

•Clashes with religious or cultural beliefs

•Redistribution of wealth punishes success and diminishes incentives

•It does not account for how individuals come to be advantaged or disadvantaged (diligence, talents)

•Idealized and unrealistic in the current societal structure.

Distributive Justice

It is about ensuring that goods, rewards, and costs are fairly allocated among members of a society or group.

Fair Allocation

The goal is to make sure that the allocation of resources (like money, opportunities, or benefits) is perceived as fair by group members. This includes not just the quantities of goods but also the process by which they are distributed

Equity

People should receive resources based on how much they contribute (those who contribute more should get more).

Equality

Everyone should get an equal share, regardless of their contribution.

Power

Those in higher authority or status should get more.

Power

Those who have the greatest needs should receive more to meet those needs.

Responsibility

Those who have more should share with those who have less.

Power, Equity, Equality, Responsibility

What are the Common Types of Distributive Norms?

Justice as Fairness

It revolves around the idea that society should compensate for natural inequalities (e.g., luck, circumstances of birth) that are beyond individual control.

Role of Luck

Some people are born with advantages (e.g., wealth, talent, social status), while others face disadvantages. Rawls argues that distributive justice requires that society redistribute some of the gains from those who are "lucky" (through no effort of their own) to those who are "unlucky."

Compensation for Misfortune

Some people are born with advantages (e.g., wealth, talent, social status), while others face disadvantages. Rawls argues that distributive justice requires that society redistribute some of the gains from those who are "lucky" (through no effort of their own) to those who are "unlucky

Distributive Justice

Egalitarian is in what Justice?

Egalitarianism

It is relating to or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.

Egalitarian

people who advocates or supports egalitarianism

Womens' right movement. 4Ps. Free Public Education System

What are some implementations of egalitarianism?

Womens' right movement

This movement makes sure that women have the same rights and opportunities as men.

Work Opportunities, Equal Pay, Fair treatment at work and more.

4Ps

This program promotes that even low income families can also meet basic needs like other families by supporting them with cash grants.

Free Public Education System

This ensures that every child, even in poor families, has the opportunity to get an education just like every other family.

Simpler Theories, More Refined Theories

Are there flaws in this type of distributive justice?

Simpler Theories

Some egalitarians believe that everyone should receive an exaggeratedly equal share of basic goods, like money, of circumstances.

More Refined Theories

More thoughtful egalitarians recognize problems with this simplistic view.

More Refined Theories

For example, people with greater needs, such as the disabled, would need more resources to function normally. Similarly, lazy individuals might benefit from equal resources without contributing, while hardworking people might be discouraged from putting in effort.

wealth, power, or resources

Inequalities in _____________________________ are permissible only if they improve the situation of the least advantaged members of society.

permissible

Inequalities in wealth, power, or resources are ____________ only if they improve the situation of the least advantaged members of society.

Rawlsian egalitarianism

Inequalities in wealth, power, or resources are permissible only if they improve the situation of the least advantaged members of society.

Rawlsian egalitarianism

Though some people may have more wealth or resources, those inequalities are justifiable if they help the poor or disadvantaged fare better than they would in a completely equal society.

Capitalism

It is a political system in which trade and industry are controlled by private owners for their profit

Capitalist

the person that is practicing / executing "capitalism"

Leissez-faire

let do or let it be

US during the 19th century (Gilded Age)

During this period, the U.S. government had very few regulations on business practices.

US during the 19th century (Gilded Age)

Outcomes were Economic Growth, but dew to the strong competition because of very few regulations, Many industries became dominated by a few large corporations. Also small number of individuals became extremely wealthy, leading to massive economic inequality.

Socialist

A person who advocates or practices socialism.

Socialism

It for the collective ownership and control of the means of production and distribution of goods and services. The goal of this is to create a more equal and just society by eliminating exploitation and increasing the well-being of people. Some of the most well-known examples of socialist systems include the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba.

to create a more equal and just society

The goal of socialism is _____________________ by eliminating exploitation and increasing the well-being of people. Some of the most well-known examples of socialist systems include the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba.

Greater Economic Equality

By distributing wealth and resources more evenly among members of society. This can be achieved through programs, such as progressive taxation and the provision of public goods and services.

Greater Economic Equality, Collective Ownership, Greater Social Welfare

What are the arguments for Socialism?

Collective Ownership

In a socialist system, the means of production and distribution are owned and controlled by the community as a whole, rather than by private individuals. This can lead to a more equal distribution of wealth and a more cooperative approach to economic decision-making.

Greater Social Welfare

It prioritizes the well-being of all members of society, including the most vulnerable. This can lead to the provision of a safety net for those in need, such as through healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits.

Reduced Incentives, Reduced Economic Efficiency, Loss of Individual Freedom, Oppression

What are the Arguments against Socialism?

Reduced Incentives

Reduces the incentive for individuals to work hard and be productive because they may not be able to reap the rewards of their labor.

Reduced Economic Efficiency

A planned economy, as is often present in socialist systems, can be less efficient than a market-based economy because it may not be able to respond as quickly to changes in demand and supply.

Loss of Individual Freedom

Lead to the loss of individual freedom because the government has a greater role in directing economic and social activity.

Oppression

Some socialist systems have been associated with authoritarian regimes that have suppressed political dissent and individual freedoms.

Democratic Socialism

A political ideology that supports the establishment of a democratically run and decentralized form of socialist economy. Modern democratic socialists vary widely in their views of how a proper socialist economy should function, but all share the goal of abolishing capitalism rather than improving it through state regulation (as preferred by social democrats). Countries like Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and Japan practice and implement this system.

Democratic Socialism

It vary widely in their views of how a proper socialist economy should function, but all share the goal of abolishing capitalism rather than improving it through state regulation (as preferred by social democrats). Countries like Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and Japan practice and implement this system.

Communist

A person who supports or believes in the principles of communism.

Communism

It is a political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society. Countries that practice and implement this system are China, North Korea, Laos, Cuba, and Vietnam.

Taxation

It is a means by which the state and its citizens accomplish their responsibilities to each other. By definition, this is a means by which states or governments finance their expenditure, basically and ideally for constituents, by imposing charges on them and corporate entities. Government expenditures fundamentally involve social welfare programs for citizens.

Inclusive Growth

It is an economic growth that creates opportunity for all segments of the population and distributes the dividends of increased prosperity, both in monetary and non-monetary terms, fairly across society.

State Responsibility

States have the legal obligation to protect and promote human rights, including the right to social security, and ensure that people can realize their rights without discrimination. The overall responsibility of the State includes ensuring the due provision of benefits according to clear and transparent eligibility criteria and entitlements, and the proper administration of the institutions and services.

Citizen Responsibility’

Under the 1973 Constitution Article V Section 1-4

Citizen Responsibility/

It shall be the duty of the citizen to be loyal to the Republic and to honor the Philippine flag, to defend the State and contribute to its development and welfare, to uphold the Constitution and obey the laws, and to cooperate with the duly constituted authorities in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly society.

Citizen Responsibility

The rights of the individual impose upon him the correlative duty to exercise them responsibly and with due regard for the rights of others.

Citizen Responsibility.

It shall be the duty of every citizen to engage in gainful work to assure himself and his family a life worthy of human dignity.

Citizen Responsibility

It shall be the obligation of every citizen qualified to vote to register and cast his vote.

1973 Constitution Article V Section 1-4

•It shall be the duty of the citizen to be loyal to the Republic and to honor the Philippine flag, to defend the State and contribute to its development and welfare, to uphold the Constitution and obey the laws, and to cooperate with the duly constituted authorities in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly society.

•The rights of the individual impose upon him the correlative duty to exercise them responsibly and with due regard for the rights of others.

•It shall be the duty of every citizen to engage in gainful work to assure himself and his family a life worthy of human dignity.

•It shall be the obligation of every citizen qualified to vote to register and cast his vote.