difference principle

philosophy

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July 20, 2026

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The "difference principle" is a core concept in John Rawls's influential work, A Theory of Justice. It addresses how social and economic inequalities should be arranged in a just society.123

According to the difference principle, inequalities are only permissible if they benefit the least-advantaged members of society the most. This means that any distribution of wealth or goods should be structured so that those who have the least are better off than they would be under any other arrangement, including an equal distribution. Rawls argued that this principle, alongside fair equality of opportunity and basic liberties, would be agreed upon by rational individuals in a hypothetical "original position" behind a "veil of ignorance," ensuring impartiality.123

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political philosophy
Rawls
…first, known as the “difference principle,” requires that any unequal distribution of social or economic goods (e.g., wealth) must be such that the least-advantaged members of society would be better off under that distribution than they would be under any other distribution consistent with principle 1, including an equal…
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…first, known as the “difference principle,” requires that any unequal distribution of social or economic goods (e.g., wealth) must be such that the least-advantaged members of society would be better off under that distribution than they would be under any other distribution consistent with principle 1, including an equal…
Read More