(Click here to continue on the main path)

What are the principles that Rawls thinks rational people in the original position would choose?

Actually, he develops the principles in stages. He gives three different versions of them. The second version is more complicated than the first. The third version is the most complicated of all.

Here is the first (and simplest) version. Now remember, Rawls knows that this statement of his principles requires qualifications. [Theory, section #11]

The idea is that these two principles apply to the basic structure of society. They are to "govern the assignment of rights and duties and to regulate the distribution of social and economic advantages."

And here's another very important point. The first principle is, in a sense, more important than the second. According to Rawls the principles are in "lexical order." That means that there can be no tradeoff of the liberty guaranteed by the first principle in order to satisfy the second principle.