A Theory of Justice: Original EditionJohn Rawls aims to express an essential part of the common core of the democratic tradition—justice as fairness—and to provide an alternative to utilitarianism, which had dominated the Anglo-Saxon tradition of political thought since the nineteenth century. Rawls substitutes the ideal of the social contract as a more satisfactory account of the basic rights and liberties of citizens as free and equal persons. “Each person,” writes Rawls, “possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override.” Advancing the ideas of Rousseau, Kant, Emerson, and Lincoln, Rawls’s theory is as powerful today as it was when first published. |
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... interests . There is an identity of interests since social cooperation makes possible a better life for all than any would have if each were to live solely by his own efforts . There is a conflict of interests since persons are not ...
... interests , say in wealth , prestige , and domination . But they are conceived as not taking an interest in one another's interests . They are to presume that even their spiritual aims may 13 3. Main Idea of the Theory.
... interests , his capacity to advance his conception of the good , no one has a reason to acquiesce in an enduring loss for himself in order to bring about a greater net balance of satisfaction . In the absence of strong and lasting ...
Original Edition John Rawls. the beliefs and interests of the parties , their relations with respect to one another , the alternatives between which they are to choose , the procedure whereby they make up their minds , and so on . As the ...
... interests . These convictions are provisional fixed points which we presume any conception of justice must fit . But we have much less assurance as to what is the correct distribution of wealth and authority . Here we may be looking for ...