Framework

Justice as fairness

The question it answers

When a board or industry policymaker redesigns the shared rules, which basic structure would anyone accept from behind a veil of ignorance, whatever their position?

Origin
Rawls, 2001
Diagram type
Process by phase
Level of analysis
Industry
Topics
Ethics & corporate governance
Clay balance scale with two level glass pans, icon for business ethics

Diagram

Justice as fairness

  1. Thought device
  2. Original position and veil of ignoranceChoose principles without knowing your own position.
  3. Two principles (lexical order)
  4. Principle 1: equal basic libertiesNot tradable for economic gain.
  5. Principle 2A: fair equality of opportunityEqual ability and effort should mean equal prospects, whatever the origin.
  6. Principle 2B: the difference principleInequality is acceptable only if it most benefits the least advantaged.

Pitfalls

Pitfall

Reading Rawls as demanding equal pay or as judging a single number.

Sources

References

Listed A–Z by author surname, Harvard style. A source with a DOI links to https://doi.org/…; one without links to its page or says plainly that it has no DOI.

  1. Rawls, J. (2001) Justice as fairness: a restatement. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.doi:10.2307/j.ctv31xf5v0Source page