Episode #137 - John Rawls - A Theory of Justice
John Rawls - A Theory of Justice
In this episode on A Theory of Justice, the podcast explores how John Rawls challenges core assumptions about liberal democracy by asking whether societies built on Enlightenment ideals—like rational discourse and equal opportunity—can truly flourish long-term, given humanity’s historical tendency toward inequality and conflict. While ultimately optimistic about liberal democracy, Rawls contends that past failures stem from neglecting the question of distributive justice: how a society fairly allocates its “primary social goods” like income, rights, and opportunities. He argues that justice must be rooted in fairness, not total equality, and proposes the famous “original position” thought experiment—where rational individuals, behind a veil of ignorance about their future place in society, would choose rules benefiting the least advantaged. This leads to Rawls’s “difference principle,” which holds that inequalities are just only if they improve conditions for those at the bottom and are tied to positions open to all. By reframing justice around fairness and interdependence, Rawls provides a philosophical foundation for progressive reform—aiming to build societies that uplift even their most vulnerable members.
Further Reading:
A Theory of Justice by John Rawls (1971)
Justice as Fairness: A Restatement by John Rawls (2001)
Free and Equal: What Would a Fair Society Look Like? by Daniel Chandler (2023)
See the full transcript here.
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