In their philosophical discussion of justice, Rawls and Hobbes adhered to different considerations, which informed their opposing definition of this concept. On the one hand, Rawls defined justice, emphasizing its so-called ideal state without proper consideration of the injustices (Wilburn 96). In particular, Rawls perceived justice as the prevalence of fairness for all people regardless of the traditional views in a society where all members are equal. On the other hand, Hobbs held another position which implied setting its concept in the context of the social contract. More specifically, Hobbs did not perceive the possibility of ideal justice and defined it as a means for states’ functioning where every individual has the right to do anything. Therefore, in Hobbs’ opinion, the existence of unjust actions is impossible (Wilburn 121). In my opinion, the definition of justice proposed by Rawls is more relevant to contemporary civilized societies due to the importance of tolerance and recognition of the rights of all people with respect to equity considerations.
The social contract is a set of agreements persisting in a society according to which the citizens abide to live. Contrary to the principles of equality and ideal justice that were proclaimed by Martin Luther King, the ideas of the social contract allow for unjust actions to be committed. King was a devoted advocate for justice, freedom, and equality for all people, which excludes the possibility of justifying any breach of these values under social contract (2). Therefore, King’s accounts might be compatible with Rawls’ vision of ideal justice but contradict the perception of Hobbs, who prioritized social contract over equality and justice. Such a disagreement between Hobbs and King might be justified by the difference in their ethical and philosophical perception of the concepts of justice.
Works Cited
King, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963, Web.
Wilburn, Heather. Philosophical Thought. 4th ed., Creative Commons.