The conception of distributive justice put forward by John Rawls in A theory of justice is examined, with special attention being paid to its most controversial component, the "difference principle". This principle's egalitarianism and radical redistributive implications (a radicalism that Rawls himself seems reluctant to admit ) are pointed out. The motivational requirements implied in the implementation of such a conception are not to be neglected, but it is argued that this difficult motivational problem has no bearing on the flaw that some influential critics claim to have detected in Rawls's theory of distributive justice, namely, the implausible conception of person it would presuppose.
Justice; Equality; Equality of opportunity; The difference principle; Liberalism