权益正义论评析

A Commentary on Recent Theories of Justice Concerning Right and Good

20世纪70年代之后兴起的权益正义论被认为是继古典的社会契约论和19世纪功利主义之后的西方政治哲学的第三块里程碑。这一理论在新的历史条件下,重新构建了西方人权学说的核心部分,论证了资本主义社会制度和国家制度的合理、合法性,适应了西方各国缓和阶级矛盾、稳定社会秩序、激发经济发展活力的需要。它包括两种理论形态:一是以罗尔斯(John Rawls)的《正义论》(1971)为代表的“公平分配理论”,一是以诺塞克(Rober Nozick)的《无政府、国家和乌托邦》(1974)为代表的“资格获得理论”。罗尔斯与诺塞克都是美国哈佛大学哲学系教授,他们的著作都曾引起轰动效应。特别是《正义论》一书,它被译为各种主要文字,在出版最初十年中,对它进行评论和研究的文献竞达2500余篇(部)之多,涉及哲学、政治学、伦理学、经济学、法律学、社会学、心理学、教育学等理论学科,

John Rawls' Theory of Justice is considered by some as the opening of the third phase, after the classic theory of social contract in the 17th century and utilitarianism in the 19th century, in the Liberalist tradition. The method used by Rawls is an idealization of the reality of social circumstances. The project of 'the original position' and 'the veil of ignorance' enables him to establish and iustify an ideal model which is embodied in two principles of justice. Using those principles as criteria,he examined, proved and improved the real situations of the society which he wishes to defend against its radical critics. Robert Nezick in Anarchy, State and Utopia worked out a more radical view of individual rights. In contrast with Rawls' patterned theory. The entitlement obtained in the historical process cannot be subordinated to any distribution or re-distribution without a violation of justice. Rawls and Nozick's theories carry with them the same liberalist spirit, yet they have different functions in different situations. In face of criticism of their ideology, Rawls appealed to the purity of Kant's practical reason. This gives rise to a further problem concerning the ideological character of the reason of the enlightenment.