Which of the following does John Rawls calls 'The Primary Subject' of the principle of justice ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

John Rawls, in his monumental work *A Theory of Justice* (1971), explicitly states that "the primary subject of justice is the basic structure of society, or more exactly, the way in which the major social institutions distribute fundamental rights and duties and determine the division of advantages from social cooperation." The basic structure refers to the main political and social institutions—like the constitution, legal system, market economy, family, and property laws—working together as one system. Rawls argued that since these institutions profoundly influence individuals' life prospects and initial chances, often creating deep inequalities from the start, they must be the first and foremost concern of a theory of justice. The principles of justice derived through the 'Original Position' are thus designed to regulate this basic structure to ensure fairness.

The incorrect option is 1:

The Original Position is a critical *device* or *thought experiment* used by Rawls to determine the principles of justice, but it is not the *subject* of those principles. It is an imaginary scenario, characterized by the 'Veil of Ignorance,' where rational individuals decide on the rules of society without knowing their own place, class, or status. Its purpose is purely procedural—to model fairness and impartiality—but once the principles are chosen, they are applied to the basic structure of the real-world society, not to the hypothetical Original Position itself.

The incorrect option is 3:

The Lexical Priority Order refers to the specific hierarchical arrangement Rawls imposes on his two Principles of Justice. This ordering dictates that the First Principle (liberty) must be completely satisfied before the Second Principle (socio-economic equality) can even be considered or applied. It serves as a necessary *rule* for applying the chosen principles, ensuring that basic liberties cannot be traded off for economic gains. Therefore, while it is a crucial component of the entire theory, it is a rule of application, not the primary societal object to which the principles are directed.

The incorrect option is 4:

Justice as Fairness is the name Rawls gives to his entire philosophical framework and theory. It represents his interpretation of justice based on the idea that principles should be chosen under conditions that are themselves fair (the Original Position). It is the comprehensive *concept* or *theory* developed by Rawls, encompassing the Original Position, the principles, the lexical order, and the rationale for their application. It is the label for the whole theory, not the specific set of institutions or arrangements (the basic structure) that the principles are meant to regulate.