Rawls and the Left: Some Left Critiques of Rawls’ Principles of Justice

Abstract: This is an examination of some Left critiques of Rawls. Stress is put, not on his underlying moral methodology, including his contractarianism, though surely there is need for such a critique as well, but on an examination of his principles of justice, particularly his equal liberty principle and his difference principle. This is often thought to be the heart of his theory. It is argued that Rawls’ asociological and ahistorical approach and his ignoring of questions of power and of ideology and his lack of an adequate conceptualization of liberty lead to major distortions in his account. Both principles are shown to be problematic and the equal liberty principle is shown to be in conflict with the difference principle.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Rawls and the Left: Some Left Critiques of Rawls’ Principles of Justice ; volume:2 ; number:1 ; year:1980 ; pages:74-97 ; extent:24 ; Analyse & Kritik ; 2, Heft 1 (1980), 74-97 (gesamt 24)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Nielsen, Kai

Further information

• DOI: 10.1515/auk-1980-0105
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2404171537347.453247220337
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:46 AM CEST