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In A Theory of Justice (1971), the American philosopher John Rawls asked what rules for society you would choose from behind a “veil of ignorance”: not knowing whether you would be rich or poor, talented or not, healthy or sick, or even what you would believe.

A Theory of Justice, 1971

Philosophy

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Rawls (1921–2002) taught at Harvard, and A Theory of Justice is among the most influential works of political philosophy of the 20th century. He called this imagined starting point the “original position”. Because no one behind the veil knows who they will turn out to be, no one can tilt the rules in their own favour, so whatever is agreed there is fair to everyone. Rawls argued that people in that position would choose two principles: equal basic liberties for all, and inequalities of wealth or power allowed only if positions are open to everyone and the arrangement benefits the least advantaged members of society. He called the second part the difference principle. Critics replied that people might prefer to gamble, and the economist John Harsanyi argued that they would choose whatever raises average welfare.

Türkçe oku
Amerikalı filozof John Rawls, Bir Adalet Teorisi (1971) adlı kitabında şu soruyu sorar: Zengin mi yoksul mu, yetenekli mi yeteneksiz mi, sağlıklı mı hasta mı olacağınızı, hatta neye inanacağınızı bilmeseydiniz, toplum için hangi kuralları seçerdiniz? Rawls bu bilmeme hâline “cehalet peçesi” der.
Bir Adalet Teorisi, 1971

Rawls (1921-2002) Harvard'da ders verdi; Bir Adalet Teorisi, 20. yüzyıl siyaset felsefesinin en etkili eserlerinden biri sayılır. Bu hayalî çıkış noktasına “başlangıç durumu” adını verdi. Peçenin ardındaki kimse toplumda kim olacağını bilmediği için kuralları kendi lehine çeviremez; bu yüzden orada varılan uzlaşma herkes için adil olur. Rawls'a göre bu durumdaki insanlar iki ilkede uzlaşırdı. Birincisi: Herkes eşit temel özgürlüklere sahip olmalı. İkincisi: Servet ya da güç eşitsizliklerine ancak konumlar herkese açıksa ve bu düzen toplumun en kötü durumdaki kesimlerinin de işine yarıyorsa izin verilmeli. Bu son koşula “fark ilkesi” dedi. Eleştirmenler, insanların risk almayı da yeğleyebileceğini söyledi; iktisatçı John Harsanyi ise insanların ortalama refahı en çok artıran düzeni seçeceğini savundu.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Veil of ignorance
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