John Rawls was an eminent American philosopher and political theorist who became a leading figure in political philosophy during the latter half of the 20th century He is best known for his work on justice, fairness, and equality. His theory of justice, as set forth in his landmark work A Theory of Justice, argued that justice should be understood as a moral principle which attaches to political and social institutions, not simply to the actions of individuals. In this work, he argued that the most fundamental concern of justice is the fair allocation of benefits and burdens among people, and that this concern should be guided by the concept of equal liberty, which implies that everyone should enjoy basic rights and liberties, regardless of their circumstances.
Rawls was highly influential in modern political philosophy, and his work on distributive justice helped define the normative basis for a wide range of contemporary debates regarding social and economic policy. He argued for a range of egalitarian principles which favored greater redistribution of resources to benefit those with less, and advocated for the consideration of social and economic justice in policy-making.
Five examples of John Rawls' philosophy include:
1. The Difference Principle: This principle states that social and economic inequalities should be arranged so as to benefit the least advantaged in society. It implies that those with the greatest advantages should be required to sacrifice those advantages in order to benefit the least advantaged.
2. The Maximin Principle: This principle states that when making decisions, one should always choose the option that maximizes the outcomes of the least advantaged.
3. The Veil of Ignorance: This principle states that everyone should make decisions as if they do not know who they are or what position they will occupy in society. This implies that decisions should be made without bias.
4. The Principle of Fair Equality of Opportunity: This principle states that everyone should have a fair chance to compete for positions and posts in society, regardless of their sex, race, or social status.
5. The Principle of Equal Liberties: This principle states that everyone should have equal rights and liberties, so that no one is discriminated against because of their race, sex, or beliefs. It implies that society should be organized in such a way that everyone regardless of their race, sex, or beliefs are given equal respect and dignity.