The Bane of Fairness

Abstract

What is pertinent for the purposes of this paper is to confront the very issue of how, in my estimation, capitalism betrays Rawls’ mission to establish a conception of an equal and sustainable political society. An important component of Rawls’ vision is a society in which people are given the capacity to meaningfully participate together; provided with real opportunities to enter privileged and influential institutions and alter the course of their political lives. Beyond each person being able to pursue their individual vision of a good life, Rawls also recognizes the importance of a society that maintains its cohesion. By drawing one’s attention first and foremost to Marx’s theory of the forms of alienation, I shall reveal the extent to which capitalism compromises the capacity of each person to be equal in the way Rawls defines. Furthermore, while remaining indebted to the genius of Marx, I will also draw upon the important work of Charles Taylor’s communitarian argument to articulate the manner in which Rawls’ conception of a political society is not stable long-term. Thus, it will be shown that Rawls’ conception of fairness as it pertains to equality and sustainability is incompatible with the capitalism his theory allows.