John Rawls’

Theory of Justice

Rawls’ Theory of Justice

 Aware of the fact that the prevailing moral principle during his time was Utilitarianism, John Rawls
desired to provide an alternative moral system
 For Rawls, Utilitarianism cannot provide a satisfactory account of the basic rights and the liberties of
citizens as free and equal persons.
 Same with William Did Ross had pointed out, Utilitarianism fails to uphold the concept of JUSTICE.
 For Rawls, JUSTICE should be considered as the basis of moral decision and actions.

Rawls’ Ethical Principle

 John Rawls was considered a major social and political philosopher.
 In his work entitled " A theory of Justice " he upheld the idea that, JUSTICE is FAIRNESS
 Ethics of John Rawls was an attempt to synthesis of the strengths of utilitarianism and of the
deontological views of Immanuel Kant and William David Ross.
 He tried to avoid the weakness of utilitarianism, the lack of justice. Through this, he built on the
fundamental notion of human beings in the ethics of Immanuel Kant and William David Ross.
 Social morality = basis for social justice.
 He introduced that every human being has DIGNITY regardless of the position or social status ion
life.
 No matter how elegant and practical the ethical system could be, it still must be rejected if it is
untrue and no matter how efficient and well arranged the laws and institutions could be, said laws
and institutions must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust.

The Hypothetical Situation

 To elucidate his concept of justice, Rawls talked about the hypothetical situation, man is to
imagine himself that he is placed in the original position of equality.
 In this situation, man is put under the veil of ignorance.
 Under the veil of ignorance, one does not know anything about social significant facts about
himself and others, such as: race, sex, religion , economic status, social abilities, his natural
abilities and even his own conception of good life
 Man has to decide what principles he could agree with on the basis of a desire to further his aims
and interests and whatever they may be.
 By knowing one's position in the society or one's conception of the good, man is driven by this
fiction to equal concern for the fate of everyone.
 With this, people will never be able to try to take advantage of each other.
 Assuming that all of us are members of hypothetical community are rational beings and all of us are
after each other's welfare, our choices, will therefore be fair to everyone. From this, "JUSTICE IS
FAIRNESS”.
From the hypothetical situation, Rawls was able to defend his two principles of justice.
1. 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. --- EQUALITY
 Everyone has an equal right to basic rights, everyone must enjoy the rights of freedom of
speech and peaceable assembly, the liberty of conscience and the freedom of thought.
2. Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both:
a. To the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, consistent with the just savings principle;---
EQUITY
b. Attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity.
 Rawls held that each individual is to have a right to the greatest equal liberty that will be
compatible with everyone else in the community.
  There may be differences existing in social positions, but will only be tolerable if it will be the
most beneficial to everyone.
 These two principle proved that such social structures determine the people's chances in
life. These principles must be upheld and people must enjoy the rights that are connected
with these principles in order to live a just life.
 Fairness must rule out difference principle = rewards necessary for the benefit of everyone
specially the least fortunate

Categories of Justice and Fairness

 Justice is always connected to laws. (may be based on the concept of the greatest number, norm of
particular society, the basis of justice will always be fair treatment to everybody.)

Rawls' types and concepts of justice:

1. Distributive justice: giving everyone an equal distribution of benefits and resources
available.
2. Procedural justice: making and implementing decisions that will uphold equality to
everyone in the society.
3. Retributive justice: just imposition of punishment and penalties on those who do
wrong.
4. Restorative justice: focus is not only on the punishment but on the restoration not
only of the dignity of the victims and but also the offenders to become law -abiding
citizen again.
5. Compensatory justice: compensating in a just way a past injustice or what he lost
when wronged by the others.

Theories of Distributive Justice

1. Egalitarianism: people should be treated as equals and there should be no relevant differences
among people that can justify unequal treatment.
a) Political equality- is the equal participation in and treatment by the means of controlling and
directing the political system. (right to vote)
b) Economic equality- equality of income , wealth , and opportunity (proper compensation, job
opportunity)
 As per Rawls, man can be equal only to political rights but there is legitimate economic inequality.
 This Principle of equality (EGALITARIANISM ) is difficult because it is impossible to have equality in
all human beings because everyone is different in terms of abilities, intelligence, virtues, needs,
desires, and other physical and mental characteristics.
2. Capitalist Justice: justice based on contribution
Ex. Sales persons and B have the same job positions but at the end of the year, A sold more than
B, therefore, A gets the merit increase or promotion.
 Benefits should be distributed according to the degree of contribution that each person provides
for the benefit of the society as a whole.
 One's contribution can be measured by the amount of work that one rendered. The greater and
harder one works , the greater are the share of benefits. Hard work leads to success.
Criticisms:
 It seems to ignore the needs of the people. It is considered to be insensitive to the disadvantaged
group. There is a problem of objective on the value of person's product, especially in the fields of
science, arts, entertainment, athletics
To answer the problem of insensitivity to the disadvantaged group , the capitalist upheld the principle
of the market forces of supply and demand .