The Theory of Justice

Rudolf Stammler, a prominent German jurist, distinguished between law and the ideal of justice. He emphasized that law should strive for justice, but this ideal is not fixed; it evolves with social harmony. His major work, Die Lehre von dem richtigen Rechte, was translated as The Theory of Justice. This contrasts with John Rawls's later work of the same title, which is a defense of political liberalism based on a social contract theory and the concept of a "veil of ignorance" to ensure fair principles of justice. Stammler's focus was on the theoretical validity of justice within law, reflecting the social conditions of a given time and place.12