Born Quote by John Rawls
“The natural distribution is neither just nor unjust; nor is it unjust that persons are born into society at some particular position. These are simply natural facts. What is just and unjust is the way that institutions deal with these facts.”
About This Quote
Source Book: A Theory of Justice, 1971
Social positions are natural facts; justice concerns how institutions treat those facts, not the facts themselves.
In simple terms: Justice is about institutional response to natural inequalities.
Key Takeaway
Focus on fair institutions.
Themes
justice
equality
social structure
institutional ethics
Mood
serious
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- law
- education
Key Concepts
fairness
distribution
political philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies can reduce institutional bias?
- How do we measure fairness?
A Different Perspective
Changing institutions is complex and contested.
![“[The] impersonal process of the market ... can be neither just nor unjust, because the results are not intended or foreseen.” quote by Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/001/friedrich-august-von-hayek-141_foreseen_the-impersonal-process-of-the-market-can_1558059.jpg)
