In the book “A Theory of Justice” by John Rawls, Rawls uses the idea of a social contract in which a group of free, rational, and self-interested people would be in, and in effect create a society that distributes goods. Rawls primarily focuses on the idea that goods should be distributed in a way so that goods can benefit the least advantaged people in a society. This focus leads to many questions regarding distributive justice, but the primary question of this paper is: should political power aim to benefit society as a whole, even if this sometimes harms or disadvantages individuals? Through an analysis of principles and ideas by Rawls in his book, and insight on parental influence in the schooling system of modern-day America, this paper
…show more content…
The first principle of justice means that every citizen for instance has the freedom to vote and perhaps hold political positions. The second principle of justice consists of two parts. The first is the idea that socioeconomic advantages benefit all people does not mean that every person in a society has equal socioeconomic backgrounds. To express this part of the second principle of justice fully, the difference principle is required. The difference principle essentially states that some people may obtain socioeconomic advantages over others, but that this advantage is permitted as long as the advantage benefits less advantaged …show more content…
People at the top of socioeconomic class may think this is unfair, especially if the government placed a 30% tax increase on income for people making above $150,000 to assist others, but this is justified for two primary reasons. The first reason being that the people at the top of society could have easily been in the bottom, but are not simply because they won the natural lottery of being born to a position in which they were able to make above $150,000, or perhaps had parents that were already wealthy. The second reason being that the people who are in the upper class of society are indebted to society for being given the resources to become successful and make more money than
The first principle of justice means that every citizen for instance has the freedom to vote and perhaps hold political positions. The second principle of justice consists of two parts. The first is the idea that socioeconomic advantages benefit all people does not mean that every person in a society has equal socioeconomic backgrounds. To express this part of the second principle of justice fully, the difference principle is required. The difference principle essentially states that some people may obtain socioeconomic advantages over others, but that this advantage is permitted as long as the advantage benefits less advantaged …show more content…
People at the top of socioeconomic class may think this is unfair, especially if the government placed a 30% tax increase on income for people making above $150,000 to assist others, but this is justified for two primary reasons. The first reason being that the people at the top of society could have easily been in the bottom, but are not simply because they won the natural lottery of being born to a position in which they were able to make above $150,000, or perhaps had parents that were already wealthy. The second reason being that the people who are in the upper class of society are indebted to society for being given the resources to become successful and make more money than