PHIL 1010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Robert Nozick, Justice As Fairness, Egalitarianism
24 Dec 2016
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John rawls and robert nozick present the two main theories regarding the role of the state in the economic well-being of its citizens. Liberal equality is an abstract notion of legal equality. But this is indifferent to the fate of ordinary people and the contingencies of life. On the other hand, egalitarianism seems to sacrifice human freedom in the name of a bland sameness of circumstance. For liberals concerned with equal right to liberty, egalitarianism is paternalistic and interferes with people pursuing their own aims in life. Liberal democratic states have tried to balance liberty and equality. Rawls" book, theory of justice, reshaped the terrain. He proposed a theory of (cid:498)justice as fairness(cid:499) Justice as fairness is committed to individual rights as well as the egalitarian ideal of fair wealth distribution. Each person is entitled to as many basic liberties as possible to the extent that they are compatible with others also have extensive liberties.
