Key Arguments

• Rawls proposes that, under the difference principle, interpersonal comparisons are conducted "in terms of expectations of primary social goods" and explicitly defines expectations as such an index: "In fact, I define these expectations simply as the index of these goods which a representative individual can look forward to. One man’s expectations are greater than another’s if this index for some one in his position is greater."
• He characterizes primary goods as items that any rational person would want more of, regardless of his particular life plan: "Now primary goods, as I have already remarked, are things which it is supposed a rational man wants whatever else he wants. Regardless of what an individual’s rational plans are in detail, it is assumed that there are various things which he would prefer more of rather than less."
• The rationale is that with more primary goods, people are generally better able to achieve their ends: "With more of these goods men can generally be assured of greater success in carrying out their intentions and in advancing their ends, whatever these ends may be."
• He lists the main categories of primary social goods: "The primary social goods, to give them in broad categories, are rights and liberties, opportunities and powers, income and wealth. (A very important primary good is a sense of one’s own worth; but for simplicity I leave this aside until much later, §67.)"
• These are social goods because they depend on the basic structure: "They are social goods in view of their connection with the basic structure; liberties and powers are defined by the rules of major institutions and the distribution of income and wealth is regulated by them."
• Rawls connects this to a more general theory of the good to be developed later, indicating that the primary-goods framework is consistent with major philosophical traditions (Aristotle, Kant, Sidgwick): "The theory of the good adopted to account for primary goods will be presented more fully in Chapter VII. It is a familiar one going back to Aristotle, and something like it is accepted by philosophers so different in other respects as Kant and Sidgwick."

Source Quotes

The difference principle also avoids difficulties by introducing a simplification for the basis of interpersonal comparisons. These comparisons are made in terms of expectations of primary social goods. In fact, I define these expectations simply as the index of these goods which a representative individual can look forward to.

These comparisons are made in terms of expectations of primary social goods. In fact, I define these expectations simply as the index of these goods which a representative individual can look forward to. One man’s expectations are greater than another’s if this index for some one in his position is greater. Now primary goods, as I have already remarked, are things which it is supposed a rational man wants whatever else he wants.

One man’s expectations are greater than another’s if this index for some one in his position is greater. Now primary goods, as I have already remarked, are things which it is supposed a rational man wants whatever else he wants. Regardless of what an individual’s rational plans are in detail, it is assumed that there are various things which he would prefer more of rather than less.

Regardless of what an individual’s rational plans are in detail, it is assumed that there are various things which he would prefer more of rather than less. With more of these goods men can generally be assured of greater success in carrying out their intentions and in advancing their ends, whatever these ends may be. The primary social goods, to give them in broad categories, are rights and liberties, opportunities and powers, income and wealth.

With more of these goods men can generally be assured of greater success in carrying out their intentions and in advancing their ends, whatever these ends may be. The primary social goods, to give them in broad categories, are rights and liberties, opportunities and powers, income and wealth. (A very important primary good is a sense of one’s own worth; but for simplicity I leave this aside until much later, §67.) It seems evident that in general these things fit the description of primary goods.

(A very important primary good is a sense of one’s own worth; but for simplicity I leave this aside until much later, §67.) It seems evident that in general these things fit the description of primary goods. They are social goods in view of their connection with the basic structure; liberties and powers are defined by the rules of major institutions and the distribution of income and wealth is regulated by them. The theory of the good adopted to account for primary goods will be presented more fully in Chapter VII.

Key Concepts

• These comparisons are made in terms of expectations of primary social goods.
• I define these expectations simply as the index of these goods which a representative individual can look forward to. One man’s expectations are greater than another’s if this index for some one in his position is greater.
• primary goods, as I have already remarked, are things which it is supposed a rational man wants whatever else he wants.
• With more of these goods men can generally be assured of greater success in carrying out their intentions and in advancing their ends, whatever these ends may be.
• The primary social goods, to give them in broad categories, are rights and liberties, opportunities and powers, income and wealth.
• They are social goods in view of their connection with the basic structure; liberties and powers are defined by the rules of major institutions and the distribution of income and wealth is regulated by them.

Context

Middle of §15, where Rawls introduces and motivates his central technical notion of primary social goods as the basis for defining expectations and making interpersonal comparisons within justice as fairness.