/lit/ - Literature

>>17372371
It's an aspect of the kind of economic system which Rawls desires that I used for illustration, but obviously progressive taxation with welfare state is just a part of Rawls' programme and stopping here is not enough. What Rawls also desires to see is drastic reallocation of the means of production in economy, as a part of either market socialism or property-owning democracy. Say, institutions must be arranged in a way that, in addition to progressive tax and welfare state, the means of production of capital have widespread ownership and monopolies or large corporations are seen as undesirable and potentially harmful, with small-sized, medium-sized and collectively owned sized businesses being well-represented in the competitive market economy. Pretty much the entirety of his last work, Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, is dedicated against claims that Rawls is a timid advocate of Nordic-style social democracy, while the implications of his arguments actually imply almost stepping a couple steps away short of market-based socialism the likes of which have not actually had a lot of real-world examples (Tito's Yugoslavia probably came close, but it went too far with centralized command of economy for sure).

>>17372361

Society organized around the lines of liberal equality principle - or what you're referring to as regular liberalism - may indeed have progressive taxation systems, but their main concern is not with rectifying natural inequalities but with being more economically efficient in some way. Say, for example, though schemes of progressive taxation, a liberal state could pay off foreign debt quicker and therefore achieve more economic efficiency, or welfare programmes could be established to eliminate unempolyment and encourage participation in economy. Difference principle, though, demands schemes of economic distribution to SPECIFICALLY rectify natural inequality and not just to increase efficiency, and that's a big difference. This gives a green light to more drastic welfare programmes and efforts to encourage diffusion of the means of production.

>It seems like he wants the government to identify people with natural ability and extract more taxation as long as it doesn't harm the lower classes, following the difference principle.

I'd imagine that under the veil of ignorance such schemes would be perceived as unfair and would be vetoed.

>I might take a look at that book you posted btw, thanks for recommending it.

No problem bud, glad my knowledge I amassed while writing thesis back in the day came to be useful. Ask any other questions about Rawls if you want while I'm still awake.