A Theory of Justice by John Rawls
This book presents a seminal work in modern political philosophy, where the author proposes a model of justice that, despite being egalitarian, respects individual rights. The author's "veil of ignorance" thought experiment, which suggests designing society from an original position where no one knows their future place in society, has been particularly influential. The author argues that this would lead to a system where each individual is assured basic liberties and socio-economic inequalities are only allowed if they benefit the least advantaged members of society.
The 1092nd greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 3rd on The Modern Philosophical Classics (The Philosophical Forum)
- 28th on The Modern Library | 100 Best Nonfiction (The Modern Library)
- The Hundred Most Influential Books Since The War (WW2) (Central and East European Publishing Project)