A Theory of Justice

Rawls notes that the core ideas of A Theory of Justice are concentrated in Chapters 1-4, particularly in Sections 1-4, 8, 11-17, 33, 35, and 39-40. After this, fundamental concepts are elaborated in Chapter 7, Sections 66-67; Chapter 8, 77-79; and Chapter 9, Sections 82, 85, and 86.

The remaining chapters explain the philosophical ideas surrounding the theory and draw distinctions between Rawls’s theory of justice and other philosophical conceptions. They apply Rawls’s ideas to distinct situations and flesh out Rawls’s theories in greater detail. While Rawls states these chapters are not critical to understanding the book’s main argument, they offer insight for readers seeking a more thorough familiarity with the text.

The chapter begins by stating that justice is the most important feature of a society, as a loss of freedom for some cannot be justified by the greater good of others. A just society guarantees the liberties of equal citizenship and tolerates injustice only when necessary to avoid even greater injustice.

The principles of social justice assign rights and duties in society’s basic institutions and determine the distribution of a society’s benefits and burdens. A well-ordered society both advances the good of its members and regulates the public conception of justice.