John Rawl’s concept of social justice

Analyze John Rawl’s concept of social justice in the Indian Context.

    John Rawl’s concept of social justice gives emphasis to fairness (i.e.) it must be fair to all, to the most talented as well as the most disadvantage section.

    Rawl proposes a thought experiment where the individual is behind the ‘veil of ignorance’. He assumes humans as rational negotiators unaware of others talents . He concludes that the nature of society to be established would give priority to the following in lexical order.

i) Maximum Personal liberty

ii) Equality of opportunity

iii) Difference principle

               Rawl believes that humans would incorporate the difference principle for the benefit of disadvantaged section for the fear that he might fall in the category of least advantaged.

        In the Indian context the positive discrimination in favour of certain disadvantaged sections can be considered as the incorporation of the third principle of Rawl.

                  In India too we have given maximum liberty and equality of opportunity for free enterprise. However, we have provided a slew of welfare programmes as a safety net for the disadvantaged sections to protect them. Moreover, the Indian constitution has provided for reservation to equalize the differences, and attempted to undo the historic injustices meted out to certain communities (Castes) . The constitution has favoured to establish an egalitarian society instead a meritocratic society.