Final Essay

Power and Justice: Theories of Justice Name Course Instructor Institution Date Equality is a core principle that has long shaped philosophical and political thought on justice. Theorists have grappled with defining what it truly means for individuals to be treated as equals. Differing perspectives have emerged on conceptualizing and realizing equality across various spheres of human endeavor. At the crux of these debates lies fundamental questions: What constitutes fair and equal treatment? How should resources, opportunities, and social goods be distributed? What inequalities, if any, are permissible or desirable in pursuing a just social arrangement? Exploring the diverse theories that tackle these issues provides vital insight into the complexities surrounding equality's role in achieving an ethical framework for the organization of society. The essay discusses the theories of justice advanced by Rawls, Walzer, Anderson, and Sen and explains the role that equality plays in each of them. The essay also acknowledges the most persuasive theory. John Rawls' Theory of Justice John Rawls's work, a theory of Justice, presents a framework for a fair and just society based on the principle of "justice as fairness." Rawls disagrees with the idea that principles of justice should be selected behind a "veil of ignorance," in a situation where people are not conscious of their circumstances, such as one's wealth, their status as per society, or their natural abilities (Rawls, n.d, p.118-120). This thought experiment, known as the "original position," is designed to ensure impartiality as well as fairness in the selection of principles that will administer the distribution of rights, duties, and the "primary goods" of society (Rawls, n.d, p.118-120). Rawls proposes two central principles of justice: (1) the principle of equal fundamental liberties, which assures an equal scheme of basic rights and liberties for entirely all citizens, and (2) the difference standard, which states that economic and social disparities are permissible only if they help the poor in the society (Rawls, n.d, p. 54). The difference principle is a key aspect of Rawls' theory, as it acknowledges the presence of inequalities but seeks to mitigate them by ensuring that any disparities work to the maximum benefit of the most disadvantaged. For Rawls, equality means ensuring that everybody has an equal claim to the most extensive basic rights compatible with similar rights for others. It also means that any inequalities in the distribution of social and economic goods must be arranged to the greatest benefit of the most disadvantaged (Rawls, n.d, p. 13). Rawls argues that this conception of justice as fairness is the most rational choice individuals would make in the origina...