Suchergebnisse

The ideas of J. Rawls (A THEORY OF JUSTICE, Cambridge, Mass, 1971) concerning social justice are compared with those of Marx regarding social conflict. Rawls' criterion of social justice is the "difference principle," contending that the goal of social institutions is to maximize the life prospects of those worst off in any society. He claims that fundamental questions concerning justice can be rationally settled from the original position, through "ideal contractualism," even though one's social position or special needs & interests are unknown. Rawls contends that the difference principle is also a "principle of mutual benefit" to all classes of society. However, Marxism holds 3 propositions: (1) the reduction of inequality demands class struggle; (2) the best-off class in a society is the ruling class; & (3) typically, ruling class members have a great need for wealth, power, & status. The commitment for society to accept the difference principle regarding social justice would require, according to Marx, moderate class conflict, no ruling class, & similar basic desires across classes. In short, Marx would contend that "the desire for stability would not make a commitment to help realize the difference principle more rational than a commitment, say, to utilitarianism hedged by a social minimum." G. Schmeling.

Abstract
This is an examination of some Left critiques of Rawls. Stress is put, not on his underlying moral methodology, including his contractarianism, though surely there is need for such a critique as well, but on an examination of his principles of justice, particularly his equal liberty principle and his difference principle. This is often thought to be the heart of his theory. It is argued that Rawls' asociological and ahistorical approach and his ignoring of questions of power and of ideology and his lack of an adequate conceptualization of liberty lead to major distortions in his account. Both principles are shown to be problematic and the equal liberty principle is shown to be in conflict with the difference principle.