JUSTICE

AS
AS
FAIRNESS
JOHN RAWLS

 American political philosopher in the liberal tradition

in 20th-century.
 His experience in life during the lawlessness of
second world war and shocking poverty in U.S. It is
drove him to publish his book “A theory of Justice”.
 His theory of “Justice as fairness” describes as
society of free citizen holding equal basic rights and
cooperating within an egalitarian economic system.
 “A THEORY OF JUSTICE”
- John Rawls

• "A Theory of Justice" is a book by John Rawls, published in 1971.

• It is a seminal work in the field of political philosophy, and one of the

most influential works of the 20th century.

• Help to change and solve problematic societies and citizens.

• Rawls's theory of justice is focused on creating a just society that is fair

and equitable for everyone.
HOW DOES JOHN RAWLS VIEW THE ROLE OF JUSTICE IN
SOCIETY?

Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of system of thought. A

theory, however elegant and economical must be rejected or revised if it is untrue;
likewise, laws and institutions no matter how efficient well-arranged must be
reformed or abolished if they are unjust. Each person possesses an inviolability
founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override. For
this reason, justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a
greater good shared by others. Being first virtues of human activities, truth and
justice are uncompromising.
 WHAT IS EQUITY?

The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and

is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality
means providing the same to all, equity means
recognizing that we do not all start from the same
place and must acknowledge and make adjustments
to imbalances.
EQUITY VS. EQUALITY
THE ORIGINAL POSITION

• The original position is a hypothetical scenario in which individuals must

make decisions about principles of justice without knowing their own
personal characteristics or social status.

• In the original position, individuals are free and equal and motivated by
self-interest.

• Rawls argues that the principles of justice that individuals would choose
in the original position would be fair and impartial.
THE VEIL OF IGNORANCE

• The veil of ignorance is a key component of the original position.

• It requires individuals to make decisions about justice without

knowledge of their own social status, such as their race, gender, or
socioeconomic status.

• By doing so, Rawls argues that individuals will choose principles of

justice that are fair and impartial, rather than biased in favor of one
group over another.
Rawls' theory establishes two principles of
justice:
LIBERTY PRINCIPLE –The principle of equal basic liberties, which
ensures that all individuals have equal rights to basic freedoms such as
speech, religion, and association.

DIFFERENCE PRINCIPLE –The difference principle, which allows

for inequalities in society as long as they benefit the least advantaged
members of society.
 DIFFERENCE PRINCIPLE
• The second principle of justice is further elaborated through the
"difference principle," which states that social and economic inequalities
are acceptable only if they work to the benefit of the least advantaged
members of society.

• The difference principle is focused on reducing inequality by ensuring

that those who are the most disadvantaged in society are able to have
their basic needs met, and are able to participate fully in social and
political life.