1789: Jeremy Bentham's Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation outlines the principle of utility, asserting that morality is determined by actions that produce the greatest good for society as a whole, regardless of the impact on any individual or group. This theory opposes intuitionism, which suggests that humans have an innate sense of right and wrong.

1971: John Rawls' A Theory of Justice revolutionizes ethical and political philosophy, providing the first significant challenge to the predominance of utilitarianism.

Today: The ongoing critical response to Rawls, both supportive and dismissive, continues to highlight his significant influence in the field of ethics.

Mid-1800s: In England, legal, educational, and social reforms arise from widespread corruption and dissatisfaction. A new legal system, heavily influenced by utilitarian principles, replaces the existing system based on natural law.

1960s and 1970s: Amid significant social and political upheaval, including the civil rights movement, women's liberation movement, gay rights movement, and a national "War on Poverty," many Americans focus on social justice and its role within a democratic society.

Today: Despite being largely illegal, discrimination continues to persist in various forms. Efforts to reform welfare aim to reduce poverty.

Mid-1800s: The Civil War results in the complete abolition of legal slavery in the United States.

1960s and 1970s: Legislation is enacted to end segregation in the United States, and affirmative action is gradually introduced.

Today: Segregation is illegal, and affirmative action is widely implemented, though it remains a topic of political and legal debate. The American pursuit of civil equality serves as a model for other nations, such as South Africa.

Sources

Barry, Brian. The Liberal Theory of Justice: A Critical

Examination of the Principal Doctrines in ‘‘A Theory of

Justice’’ by John Rawls. Clarendon Press, 1973, p. ix.

Davion, Victoria, and Clark Wolf, eds. The Idea of a

Political Liberalism: Essays on Rawls. Rowman and Littlefield

Publishers, Inc., 2000, pp. 1, 3, 14.

Freeman, Samuel, ed. John Rawls: Collected Papers. Harvard

University Press, 1999, pp. ix, xii.

Martin, Rex. Rawls and Rights. University Press of Kansas,

1985, p. vii.

Rao, A. P. Three Lectures on John Rawls. Indian Philosophical

Quarterly Publications, 1981, p. 1.

Schaefer, David Lewis. Justice or Tyranny?: A Critique of

John Rawls’s ‘‘A Theory of Justice’’. Kennikat Press, 1979,

pp. ix, 105.

Wolff, Robert Paul. Understanding Rawls: A Reconstruction

and Critique of ‘‘A Theory of Justice’’. Princeton University

Press, 1977, pp. 3, 16.

Further Reading

Alejandro, Roberto. The Limits of Rawlsian Justice. Johns

Hopkins University Press, 1998.

Alejandro offers a critical analysis of Rawls’s

theory of justice with respect to the American legal

system.

Corlett, J. Angelo, ed. Equality and Liberty: Analyzing

Rawls and Nozick. St. Martin’s Press, 1991.

Corlett presents a collection of essays exploring the

concepts of justice, equality, and liberty as discussed by

Rawls and his key critic, Robert Nozick.

George, Robert P., and Christopher Wolfe, eds. Natural Law

and Public Reason. Georgetown University Press, 2000.

George and Wolfe compile essays that

examine the themes of natural law, liberalism, and

reason in Rawls’s work.