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.
John Rawls on Freedom
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.”
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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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Attributed to John Rawls:
“The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.”
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Attributed to John Rawls:
“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.”
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.”