The figures · Philosophers

John Rawls

Rawls became the defining liberal political philosopher of the late twentieth century.

BORN 1921 CE · Baltimore, MarylandDIED 2002 CE · Lexington, MassachusettsERA Contemporary

NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION

Reframed liberal political philosophy around fairness, equal basic liberties, and justice for the least advantaged.

THE RECORD

A Theory of Justice used the original position and veil of ignorance to model fair principles.
He defended equal basic liberties and inequalities only under strict fairness conditions.
Later debates over liberalism, communitarianism, equality, and pluralism often begin with Rawls.