The "Original Position" is a central concept in John Rawls' contractarian political philosophy, introduced in his 1971 masterpiece A Theory of Justice. It serves as a modern update to the traditional "state of nature" found in the social contract theories of thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Unlike the state of nature, which was often depicted as a historical or pre-social condition of humanity, the Original Position is explicitly presented as a purely hypothetical, analytical tool designed to model fairness and impartiality.
The Setup of the Original Position
In the Original Position, representatives of citizens gather to agree upon the political and economic principles that will structure the "basic structure" of their society—its constitution, legal system, and economic institutions. To ensure that the agreement reached is fair, Rawls introduces a crucial constraint: the negotiators are placed behind a "Veil of Ignorance." This veil denies them any knowledge of their own personal traits, such as their race, gender, wealth, intelligence, physical strength, or religious beliefs. They also do not know their place in society or the historical generation to which they belong.
However, the parties in the Original Position are not completely ignorant. They possess general knowledge about human psychology, social organization, economics, and political science. They are also assumed to be rational and mutually disinterested, meaning they want to secure the best possible bundle of "primary social goods" (rights, liberties, opportunities, income, and wealth) for themselves, without being motivated by envy or altruism.
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Join NowPhilosophical Purpose
The primary function of the Original Position is to establish a fair procedure for determining what justice requires. Rawls argues that by stripping away the arbitrary advantages and disadvantages of real life (such as being born into wealth or with natural talents), the Original Position levels the playing field. It ensures that no one can tailor principles of justice to favor their own unique circumstances. Consequently, whatever principles are agreed upon in this position are, by definition, fair. This is why Rawls refers to his theory as "Justice as Fairness."