The Making of a Just Society

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In every society there are rules and regulations that are presented because they are necessary to the way that the society runs. This is accepted as the norm in many places due to the effectiveness and control that it offers to figures of authority. The theory that John Rawls is presenting as his “original position” is that the rules that are written into a societal contract should be unbiased among all the people. This seems like a reasonable thought, but when it comes to maintaining total impartiality, most people find that it is hard to set all personal matters and feelings aside. To combat this bias, Rawls implements the “veil of ignorance” into his position and thinks that it would hypothetically make for a suitable and just world. The veil that he describes creates an unbiased opinion due to the fact that the rules would be made by people who did not know their future opinions or lifestyle. They would have no knowledge of who they were to become politically, economically, or in any other manner, but would have a common knowledge to base decisions on. There are two main components to upholding the theory of keeping rules just; they are having equality in rights, and if there is to be an inequality then it has to benefit people, especially the least well off. Living in a society such as the United States there seems to be a ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality. This being said, the society in which America has created is not one of justice, but one of personal profit.
The overarching theme that John Rawls presents as the “original position” is a contract that would be signed willingly by all people, something that an entire population could agree upon. The focus is to make a society as just as possible through the rules and r...

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...ortunate to have the impartiality that is ideal to create such a society. There is corruption in the legal system and socioeconomic differences that set people apart and create tension when trying to become a society built on cooperation. Having a just system does not require everyone to be the same. It requires everyone to contribute to the goals of society in one way or another; whether it be through the identity of interest or the conflict of interest. Being a just society is something that America will never achieve; greed and success are at the forefront of the American dream. These priorities take the place of equality and justice. Being a just civilization is too good to be true for the people that focus on what they want before what others need

Works Cited

Rawls, John. A Theory of Justice. Revised ed. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Havard Press, 1999. Print.

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