Chapter 03 of 5
The Liberty Principle
Why basic rights must come before any economic or social advantage.
- Lexical Order
The Priority of Rights
Rawls argues that certain basic liberties are so fundamental that they take absolute priority over wealth or social status.
- Mechanism
The First Principle
Before we debate money or jobs, every person must have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberties possible.
- Constraint
Non-Negotiable Deals
Under the Veil, you wouldn't trade your right to speak or vote for a higher salary. The risk of losing your voice is too high.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
According to Rawls, when is it acceptable to trade away basic liberties for a significant increase in national wealth?
⚖️ Rawls’s Veil: The Thought Experiment for Justice
- 01The Original PositionStep behind the Veil to design a society without knowing your own identity.
- 02The Maximin RuleExplore the logic of choosing the best of the worst-case scenarios.
- 03The Liberty PrincipleWhy basic rights must come before any economic or social advantage.
- 04The Difference PrincipleWhen is inequality actually 'just'? The criteria for fair disadvantage.
- 05The Justice AuditApply the Veil of Ignorance to critique and redesign real-world policies.