Rawlsian Justice as Fairness
CAT 2006 Slot 1 · VARC · Medium · Reading Comprehension
Passage / data set
My aim is to present a conception of justice which generalizes and carries to a higher level of abstraction the familiar theory of the social contract... The principles of justice for the basic structure of society are the object of the original agreement. They are the principles that free and rational persons concerned to further their own interests would accept in an initial position of equality...
In 'justice as fairness', the original position is not an actual historical state of affairs. It is understood as a purely hypothetical situation... Among the essential features of this situation is that no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does anyone know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength, and the like. The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance. This ensures that no one is advantaged or disadvantaged in the choice of principles by the outcome of natural chance or the contingency of social circumstances...
Question 1 of 5
A just society, as conceptualized in the passage, can be best described as:
- A.
A Utopia in which everyone is equal and no one enjoys any privilege based on their existing positions and powers.
- B.
A hypothetical society in which people agree upon principles of justice which are fair.
- C.
A society in which principles of justice are not based on the existing positions and powers of the individuals.
- D.
A society in which principles of justice are fair to all.
- E.
A hypothetical society in which principles of justice are not based on the existing positions and powers of the individuals.
A society in which principles of justice are not based on the existing positions and powers of the individuals.
Explanation
The passage describes a real society meeting justice as fairness as one where institutions conform to principles chosen without bias from existing position and power.
Question 2 of 5
The original agreement or original position in the passage has been used by the author as:
- A.
A hypothetical situation conceived to derive principles of justice which are not influenced by position, status and condition of individuals in the society.
- B.
A hypothetical situation in which every individual is equal and no individual enjoys any privilege based on the existing positions and powers.
- C.
A hypothetical situation to ensure fairness of agreements among individuals in society.
- D.
An imagined situation in which principles of justice would have to be fair.
- E.
An imagined situation in which fairness is the objective of the principles of justice to ensure that no individual enjoys any privilege based on the existing positions and powers.
A hypothetical situation conceived to derive principles of justice which are not influenced by position, status and condition of individuals in the society.
Explanation
The original position is a purely hypothetical construct defined specifically so that people choose principles behind a veil of ignorance, uninfluenced by their actual status.
Question 3 of 5
Which of the following best illustrates the situation that is equivalent to choosing 'the principles of justice' behind a 'veil of ignorance'?
- A.
The principles of justice are chosen by businessmen, who are marooned on an uninhabited island after a shipwreck, but have some possibility of returning.
- B.
The principles of justice are chosen by a group of school children whose capabilities are yet to develop.
- C.
The principles of justice are chosen by businessmen, who are marooned on an uninhabited island after a shipwreck and have no possibility of returning.
- D.
The principles of justice are chosen assuming that such principles will govern the lives of the rule makers only in their next birth if the rule makers agree that they will be born again.
- E.
The principles of justice are chosen by potential immigrants who are unaware of the resources necessary to succeed in a foreign country.
The principles of justice are chosen assuming that such principles will govern the lives of the rule makers only in their next birth if the rule makers agree that they will be born again.
Explanation
Choosing rules for a future life without knowing one's position/status in that next birth perfectly mirrors choosing behind a veil of ignorance.
Question 4 of 5
Why, according to the passage, do principles of justice need to be based on an original agreement?
- A.
Social institutions and laws can be considered fair only if they conform to principles of justice.
- B.
Social institutions and laws can be fair only if they are consistent with the principles of justice as initially agreed upon.
- C.
Social institutions and laws need to be fair in order to be just.
- D.
Social institutions and laws evolve fairly only if they are consistent with the principles of justice as initially agreed upon.
- E.
Social institutions and laws conform to the principles of justice as initially agreed upon.
Social institutions and laws can be fair only if they are consistent with the principles of justice as initially agreed upon.
Explanation
Paragraph 3 states that social arrangements are just/fair if they conform to the sequence of hypothetical agreements contracted initially.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following situations best represents the idea of justice as fairness, as argued in the passage?
- A.
All individuals are paid equally for the work they do.
- B.
Everyone is assigned some work for his or her livelihood.
- C.
All acts of theft are penalized equally.
- D.
All children are provided free education in similar schools.
- E.
All individuals are provided a fixed sum of money to take care of their health.
All children are provided free education in similar schools.
Explanation
Providing equal educational opportunities to all children regardless of family status or background ensures initial equality of opportunity, reflecting justice as fairness.
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