John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice: Essentials

Rawls argues for “justice as fairness” through a thought experiment called the original position, where rational individuals choose principles for society behind a veil of ignorance. This ensures decisions are free from personal biases about social status, natural talents, or personal values. From this setup, Rawls derives two key principles: the equal basic liberties for all and the difference principle, which permits social and economic inequalities only if they benefit the least advantaged.

The veil of ignorance is a thought experiment in which decision-makers design society’s basic principles without knowing their own personal characteristics or social positions. Without biases of wealth, talent, gender, or other identifiers, individuals choose principles fairly, ensuring that policies benefit everyone, especially the least advantaged.