Karl Marx, John Rawls, and Robert Nozick are three prominent philosophers whose political theories have an important place in the modern political debate about the role of the state, how society should be structured and the concept of justice. Karl Marx was born 1818, his major work was The Communist Manifesto published in 1848. Marx advocated for a type of socialism called communism where the dominant goals are the abolition of private property and class antagonisms through a revolution of the proletariat or working class. John Rawls was born in 1921, his major work was A Theory of Justice published in 1971. Rawl’s defended social liberalism, egalitarianism, and the welfare state in the form of distributive justice. Robert Nozick was born
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A common critique of Marx’s ideas is that without the capitalist economic system there can be no progress, no motivation for people to work, however there are some cultures, for example many Asian countries (Japan) whose culture promotes work ethics not for material incentives but for the sake of recognition and pride.
Rawls John Rawl’s was one of the primary political philosophers of the 20th century, before his book A Theory of Justice, there had been no viable alternative theories to the utilitarian conception of justice which is to maximize happiness for the greatest amount of people. This theory when used to structure a state allows for practical decisions but it also creates a minority that can be disposed of for the benefit of a majority. Before Rawls’s conception of justice and the difference principle, the utilitarian principle was often used in politics justifying inequalities if they made all of us better off. Rawls twist on this is that it is not enough that it should make all of us better off it must make the worst off as well off as possible. Rawls believed in justice …show more content…
Rawls looks at what the proper role of government should be and he begins with the idea that there are primary goods, which include both material goods and goods of rights or opportunities. It is societies job to figure out how to help us cooperate to distribute those goods in a just way. Rawls does not claim that those goods must be distributed equally, unlike Marx, Rawls is advocating for a welfare state not a communist state. Rawls separates the distribution of material goods and rights, and determines that there are certain rights that must be
A common critique of Marx’s ideas is that without the capitalist economic system there can be no progress, no motivation for people to work, however there are some cultures, for example many Asian countries (Japan) whose culture promotes work ethics not for material incentives but for the sake of recognition and pride.
Rawls John Rawl’s was one of the primary political philosophers of the 20th century, before his book A Theory of Justice, there had been no viable alternative theories to the utilitarian conception of justice which is to maximize happiness for the greatest amount of people. This theory when used to structure a state allows for practical decisions but it also creates a minority that can be disposed of for the benefit of a majority. Before Rawls’s conception of justice and the difference principle, the utilitarian principle was often used in politics justifying inequalities if they made all of us better off. Rawls twist on this is that it is not enough that it should make all of us better off it must make the worst off as well off as possible. Rawls believed in justice …show more content…
Rawls looks at what the proper role of government should be and he begins with the idea that there are primary goods, which include both material goods and goods of rights or opportunities. It is societies job to figure out how to help us cooperate to distribute those goods in a just way. Rawls does not claim that those goods must be distributed equally, unlike Marx, Rawls is advocating for a welfare state not a communist state. Rawls separates the distribution of material goods and rights, and determines that there are certain rights that must be