John Rawls Quotes
John Rawls was a 20th-century American political philosopher whose 1971 book A Theory of Justice is the most influential work of political philosophy of the post-war era. The book argues that the principles of justice for the basic structure of society are those that would be agreed to by rational individuals in an original position, behind a veil of ignorance about their own talents, social position, and conception of the good. The quotes below are attributed to John Rawls, organized by topic.
Browse John Rawls by topic
John Rawls on Freedom
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“Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.”
Chapter II, Section 11, pg. 60 -
Attributed to John Rawls:
“Liberty for the less articulate is enhanced by the strict enforcement of equal liberty.”
John Rawls on Justice
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.”
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override.”
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“The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.”
Chapter I, Section 3, pg. 12 -
“Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both reasonably expected to be to everyone's advantage, and attached to positions and offices open to all.”
Chapter II, Section 11, pg. 60 -
“The concept of justice I take to be defined, then, by the role of its principles in assigning rights and duties and in defining the appropriate division of social advantages. A conception of justice is an interpretation of this role.”
Chapter I, Section 2, pg. 10 -
“Social and economic inequalities, for example inequalities of wealth and authority, are just only if they result in compensating benefits for everyone, and in particular for the least advantaged members of society.”
p. 14. -
“It may be expedient but it is not just that some should have less in order that others may prosper.”
Chapter I, Section 3, pg. 15 -
“A conception of justice cannot be deduced from self evident premises or conditions on principles; instead, its justification is a matter of the mutual support of many considerations, of everything fitted together into one coherent view.”
Chapter I, Section 4, p. 21
John Rawls on Knowledge
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“This is a long book, not only in pages.”
Preface, pg. viii -
“I am particularly grateful to Nozick for his unfailing help and encouragement during the last stages.”
Preface, pg. xii -
“Chapter I, Section 1, pg. 3-4”
Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought. A theory however elegant and economical must be rejected or revised if it is untrue; likewise laws and institutions no matter how efficient and well-arranged must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust. Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole can -
“Chapter I, Section 2, pg. 10”
The concept of justice I take to be defined, then, by the role of its principles in assigning rights and duties and in defining the appropriate division of social advantages. A conception of justice is an interpretation of this role. -
“Chapter I, Section 3, pg. 12”
The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance. -
“Chapter I, Section 3, pg. 15”
It may be expedient but it is not just that some should have less in order that others may prosper.
John Rawls on Politics
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“Civil disobedience is a public, nonviolent, conscientious yet political act contrary to law usually done with the aim of bringing about a change in the law or policies of the government.”
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“Reasonable persons see that the burdens of judgement set limits on what can be reasonably justified to others.”
Things actually not said by John Rawls
A number of widely-shared lines are circulated as John Rawls but are in fact from someone else. Did John Rawls say these? No. Each entry below pairs the line with the person who actually wrote it.
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Did John Rawls say this? No.
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
The image originates with the abolitionist Unitarian minister Theodore Parker in an 1853 sermon: 'I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one... And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.' Martin Luther King Jr. compressed Parker's longer formulation into the now-familiar version and used it repeatedly from 1958 onward.