Free Thinking

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Free Thinking: John Rawls's A Theory of Justice

John Rawls's Theory of Justice

John Rawls's A Theory of Justice

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, John Rawls's A Theory of Justice

Anne McElvoy and guests re-read this 1971 work of political philosophy about inequality.

It is 50 years since John Rawls made a liberal case for fairness and redistribution. We discuss what modern philosophers and politicians make of his arguments today.

In his 1971 book, A Theory of Justice, John Rawls argued that just societies should allow everyone to enjoy basic liberties while limiting inequality and improving the lives of the least well off. He argued that "the fairest rules are those to which everyone would agree if they did not know how much power they would have". Anne McElvoy discusses how his case for a liberal egalitarianism has fared since.

Teresa Bejan is Associate Professor of Political Theory and Fellow of Oriel College at the University of Oxford. Her current work focuses on equality. Her first book, Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration was published in 2017. 

Jonathan Floyd is Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Bristol. His work focuses on how arguments can be right or wrong, or at least better or worse, both in philosophy and in 'real politics'.  Recent books include Political Philosophy versus History? (2011); Is Political Philosophy impossible? (2017); and, What's the Point of Political Philosophy? (2019).

Rupert Read is Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia. He has written about environmental ethics, scientism and the precautionary principle. In addition to his academic work he is an environmental activist and a former national spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion. His latest book is Parents for a Future. 

Producer: Ruth Watts

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