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History of Ideas Club: Rawls and Sandel
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In this session of the History of Ideas Club, we dive into the thought of John Rawls, one of the towering figures of 20th-century political philosophy, and explore the debate he sparked with thinkers like Robert Nozick and Michael Sandel.
Rawls’ seminal work, A Theory of Justice (1971), redefined liberal political thought with his concept of "justice as fairness"—a vision rooted in equality, individual liberty, and the famous thought experiments of the "original position" and the "veil of ignorance." His model of a just society aimed to balance freedom with social cooperation, offering a compelling moral justification for a redistributive welfare state.
We also examine the powerful critiques that followed. Robert Nozick’s Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974) launched a libertarian counterattack, defending a minimal state and voluntary transactions over Rawlsian redistribution. Michael Sandel, meanwhile, challenged Rawls from a communitarian angle, questioning the liberal assumption of a detached, rights-bearing individual at the heart of justice.
Join us as we unpack the Rawlsian legacy, the philosophical tensions it exposed, and why this debate remains central to contemporary discussions on fairness, freedom, and the role of the state.
📚 Recommended Reading:
- John Rawls, A Theory of Justice
- Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia
- Michael Sandel, Liberalism and the Limits of Justice
🎙 Hosted by: The History of Ideas Club
📍 Recorded live in London
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