Rawls' theory of justice has two main principles: the principle of equal liberty and the principle of fair equality of opportunity. Rawls argues that, in the original position, individuals would choose principles of justice that are fair and that would benefit the least advantaged members of society, because they realize that they could be in the least advantaged position themselves. Rawls' social contract is based on the concept of the 'original position,' which is a hypothetical situation in which individuals are asked to choose the principles of justice that should govern their society.Īccording to Rawls, individuals in the original position are assumed to be rational and self-interested, and they are asked to choose the principles of justice that would be in their own best interest, given their particular circumstances and needs.

Rawls' theory is based on the idea of the social contract, which is the hypothetical agreement that individuals in a society make with one another in order to establish the rules and principles that govern their relationships. He asserts that a just society is one in which the distribution of goods and resources is based on a principle of fairness, rather than on arbitrary factors such as wealth, power, or social status. Rawls argues that justice is not about the distribution of goods or resources, but rather about the way in which those goods and resources are distributed.

It is considered one of the most important works in political philosophy in the 20th century and has had a significant influence on the development of political and legal thought.Īt the heart of Rawls' theory is the concept of justice as fairness. A Theory of Justice is a book written by philosopher John Rawls that was published in 1971.

A theory of justice by john rawls