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Doing the right thing - The case for equality / John Rawls

13 important questions on Doing the right thing - The case for equality / John Rawls

Rawls (political philosopher) offers an clear answer to the question: how can a hypothetical agreement do the moral work of a real one? Which one?

Rawls argues that the way to think about justice is to ask what principles we would agree to in an initial situation of equality (behind a veil of ignorance). That is Rawls idea of the social contract.

What does Rawls mean with the 'veil of ignorance'? (sluier van onwetenheid)

We gather to choose the principles to govern our collective lives. Suppose that we don't know where we will wind up in society. Imagine that we choose behind a 'veil of ignorance' that temporarily prevents us from knowing anything about who in particular we are (class, gender, race, education, religion, background etc.). If you don't know anything about yourself, you would choose from an original position of equality. The principles we would agree to at that moment, would be just.

What happens without the veil of ignorance? (Rawls)

We would reflect with our various interests. Even if we got to a compromise, this would likely reflect the superior bargaining power of some over others. There is no reason to assume that a social contract arrived at in this way, would be a just arrangement.

Describe the two ethical results of Rawls social contract:

1 We would not choose utilitarianism, because behind the veil each of us would think: for all I know, I might wind up being a member of an oppressed minority.

2 We would not choose libertarian, because the world gives people a right to keep all the money they made in the market economy. There is a chance you would turn out to be a homeless person. So avoiding a system that could leave someone without help.

Describe Rawls 2 principles of justice (emerged from the hypothetical social contract)?

1 Equal basic liberties for all citizens, such as freedom of speech and religion. This principle takes priority over considerations of social utility and the general welfare.

2 Social and economic equality. This does not require an equal distribution of income and wealth, it permits only those social and economic inequalities that work to the advantage of the least well off members of society.

Actual contracts are not self-sufficient moral instruments. The mere fact that you and I make a deal is not enough to make it fair. We need an independent standard of fairness. The morality of actual contract carry moral weight when they realize two deals. Which 2?

1 Autonomy (making the decisions freely)

2 Reciprocity (a win-win/mutual benefit situation)

> Those 2 ideas are imperfectly realized.

A hypothetical agreement behind a veil of ignorance is not a pale form of an actual contract and so a morally weaker thing: it's a pure form of an actual contract, and so a morally more powerful thing.

What is the main idea of the difference principle of Rawls?

That the distribution of income and opportunity should not be based on factors that are arbitrary from a moral point of view.

> Moral arbitrariness: you can't distribute income/wealth etc. to the accident of birth. Circumstances of your birth are no doing of yours, so it is unjust to make your life prospects depend on the arbitrary fact.

Everybody has a different background and that is why Rawls argues that the distribution of income and wealth that results from the free market with formal equality of opportunity can't be considered just. Describe a way of remedying this unfairness?

To correct for social and economic disadvantage. A fair meritocracy goes beyond formal equality of opportunity. It provides equal educational opportunities. It does everything to bring people to the same starting point.

Rawls beliefs that this meritocratic conception corrects, but still fall short of justice. Explain this.

Even at the same starting point, it is more or less predictable who will win the race: the fastest runners. The meritocratic system still permits the distributions of wealth and income to be determined by the natural distrbution of abilities and talents.

Describe the 4 rival theories of distribution of justice:

1 Feudal or caste system: fixed hierarchy based on birth

2 Libertarian: free market with formal equality of opportunity

3 Meritocratic: free market with fair equality of opportunity

4 Egalitarian: Rawls' difference principle (e.g. progressive tax)

> Rawls argues that the first 3 theories bases distributive shares on factors that are arbitrary from a moral point of view: birth, social/economic advantage or natural talents/abilities.

What is distributive justice according to Rawls?

Not about rewarding virtue or moral desert. Justice is about meeting the legitimate expectations that arise once the rules of the game are in place.

What are the two problems of Rawls with utilitarianism?

1 Intuition has to respond with decisions, this doesn't always happen with utilitarianism
2 Utilitarianism is not always a rational decision
(Think about pris. dilemma)

Rawls has 2 rules, which two?

1 Everybody should have equal access to primary goods/liberty etc. Equal opportunity.
2 Difference principle: there are some differences in people. When there are differences it still should be the case that when the welfare increases, also the less benefited persons should benefit from is.
> The first rule need to be fulfilled before the second one.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Justice : what's the right thing to do? | 9780141041339 | Michael J Sandel

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Topics that are related to Doing the right thing - The case for equality / John Rawls

Sandel: Justice whats the right thing to do. Doing the right thing

Doing the right thing - The case for equality / John Rawls

13 important questions on Doing the right thing - The case for equality / John Rawls

Rawls (political philosopher) offers an clear answer to the question: how can a hypothetical agreement do the moral work of a real one? Which one?

What does Rawls mean with the 'veil of ignorance'? (sluier van onwetenheid)

What happens without the veil of ignorance? (Rawls)

Describe the two ethical results of Rawls social contract:

Describe Rawls 2 principles of justice (emerged from the hypothetical social contract)?

Actual contracts are not self-sufficient moral instruments. The mere fact that you and I make a deal is not enough to make it fair. We need an independent standard of fairness. The morality of actual contract carry moral weight when they realize two deals. Which 2?

What is the main idea of the difference principle of Rawls?

Everybody has a different background and that is why Rawls argues that the distribution of income and wealth that results from the free market with formal equality of opportunity can't be considered just. Describe a way of remedying this unfairness?

Rawls beliefs that this meritocratic conception corrects, but still fall short of justice. Explain this.

Describe the 4 rival theories of distribution of justice:

What is distributive justice according to Rawls?

What are the two problems of Rawls with utilitarianism?

Rawls has 2 rules, which two?

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Sandel: Justice whats the right thing to do. Doing the right thing

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