The basic structure of society is the configuration of institutions and practices that together constitute the background conditions against which the individual members of a society live out their lives according to their own designs.Principles of social justice determine how responsibilities are assigned and benefits and burdens distributed.Even if society as a whole would benefit from it, it is not just regardless. Example of slavery: justice is more important than economic gain.A theory however elegant and economical must be rejected or revised if it is untrue likewise laws and institutions no matter how efficient and well-arranged must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust.” “ Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.III DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE IS NOT A MATTER OF REWARDING MORAL DESERT VIII THE ARGUMENT FOR JUSTICE AS FAIRNESS And “Excerpts Of”, as the name suggests, offers a few quotes by the philosopher. “Importance Of” explains the most important points on the topic from the philosopher’s point of view. “Critiques Of” includes philosophers or ideas that challenge the topic. Additionally three objections are also included. It covers negative an outline of justice as fairness, utilitarianism and intuitionism, reflective equilibrium and method, the two principles of justice, the original position, the presentation of alternatives, the argument for justice as fairness, the institutions of a just society, and intergenerational justice. It’s not complete, but it’s quite extensive.

May it help you in whatever way you deem necessary. This is a brief on the Rawls and his work on political theory that I prepared for my exam on political philosophy at the London School of Economics.

A Theory of Justice by John Rawls