A Theory of Justice John Rawls

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A Theory of JusticeJohn Rawls

What’s a definition of justice everyone can agree on? How should wealth and power be distributed in society? What obligations do citizens have to each other? These are some of the questions 20th-century American philosopher John Rawls confronts in his 1971 work, A Theory of Justice. Rawls tries to determine how government can distribute rights, opportunities, wealth, and power using only reason and logic. The result is a theory of "justice as fairness," which merges liberalism’s emphasis on equal rights and individualism with economic equality and safety nets for the most vulnerable members of society.

We’ll explore how Rawls both defends and reimagines classic liberalism in a modern context, as well as how he defines an ideal government. In addition, we’ll examine critiques of his work, the intellectual basis for his arguments, and real-world examples of the politics he discusses.

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