Tolerable Inequality According to John Rawls

Maurizio Bovi

Chapter Chapter 6 in The Dual Challenge of Tolerable Economic Inequality, 2025, pp 59-71 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract John Rawls argues that economic inequality is only justified if it benefits the least advantaged in society (the Difference Principle) and arises under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. He introduces a hypothetical “original position,” in which rational individuals, placed behind a “veil of ignorance” (unaware of their future social status), would choose principles of justice that prioritize the worst-off. While Rawls accepts some inequality as a necessary incentive for productivity, he insists it must not compromise basic liberties or fairness. His theory seeks to balance meritocracy with social justice, ensuring that inequalities serve the common good rather than entrenching privilege. Rawls’ approach has drawn significant criticism from various perspectives. Libertarians, such as Robert Nozick, argue that the Difference Principle unjustly infringes on individual liberty and property rights by mandating redistribution. Others contend that Rawls’ endorsement of merit-based incentives can still legitimize excessive disparities, weakening his egalitarian goals. Amartya Sen, meanwhile, challenges Rawls’ focus on transcendental institutionalism—developing ideal principles for a hypothetical society—and instead advocates for a realization-centered approach that prioritizes actual outcomes over abstract ideals.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:esichp:978-3-031-97066-5_6

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783031970665

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-97066-5_6

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().