Character Quote by John Rawls
““Each person possesses and inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override. For this reason, justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater good shared by others. It does not allow that the sacrifices imposed on a few are outweighed by the larger sum of advantages enjoyed by many. Therefore in a just society the liberties of equal citizenship are taken as settled; the rights secured by justice are not subject to political bargaining or to the calculus of social interests. The only thing that permits us to acquiesce in an erroneous theory is the lack of a better one; analogously, an injustice is tolerable only when it is necessary to avoid an even greater injustice. Being first virtues of human activities, truth and justice are uncompromising.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Theory of Justice by John Rawls, 1971
Justice protects individual rights against collective sacrifice, rejecting utilitarian trade‑offs.
In simple terms: Rights cannot be sacrificed for the greater good.
Key Takeaway
Defend individual liberties even when unpopular.
Themes
justice
rights
individualism
political theory
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- legal reforms
- civil rights activism
Key Concepts
ethical philosophy
social contract
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- When should society limit individual freedom for the common good?
- What mechanisms protect rights from political bargaining?
A Different Perspective
Balancing collective welfare with individual rights is complex.
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