ABSTRACT
Since its publication in 1971, John Rawls' book A Theory of Justice has triggered a renaissance in political philosophy in America and the English-speaking world generally. Rawls tells that he has two basic aims in A Theory of Justice. One is to articulate a small set of general principles of justice. The second of Rawls' two basic aims is to develop a theory which is superior to utilitarianism as a theory of social justice. The primary subject of justice is the basic structure of society, according to Rawls, because the basic structure exerts such a profound influence on individuals' life prospects. The primary subject of justice is the basic structure of society because the influences of the basic structure on individuals are present at birth and continue throughout life. Rawls' presentation of a model can be seen as an attempt to rebut objections that the Difference Principle places unacceptable restrictions on individual freedom.
