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Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
1. The people in the original position of choosing behind a “veil of ignorance” do not know any biasing things about
themselves but do know that they would want what any person would want.
a. True
b. False
2. Rawls’s second principle of justice requires that an inequality in goods in a society is just provided that the people have
merited what they have.
a. True
b. False
3. Rawls argues that the right to the most extensive equal basic liberties may be reduced if doing so benefits the worst-off
in society.
a. True
b. False
4. According to a process view of economic justice, a social distribution of wealth is just if and only if the disparities in
wealth are due to differences in merit, achievement, or contribution.
a. True
b. False
5. A libertarian conception of economic justice relies on notions of a negative right (a right not to be interfered with),
while a socialist conception stresses a positive right (a right to have basic necessities).
a. True
b. False
6. An “end state” view of economic justice is one that is concerned about how things turn out in terms of distribution of
wealth in a society.
a. True
b. False
7. Libertarians typically hold a process view of justice rather than an end state view.
a. True
b. False
8. According to Rawls’s maximin principle for decision-making under ignorance, people will choose that society with the
least gap between the rich and the poor.
a. True
b. False
9. Libertarians tend to emphasize negative rights, while socialists tend to stress positive rights.
a. True
b. False
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10. According to John Rawls in A Theory of Justice, it is always unjust for some people to be very wealthy and others to
be poor.
a. True
b. False
11. Libertarians favor a minimalized government.
a. True
b. False
12. The method Rawls uses to derive principles for determining what social institutions are just is an appeal to an
imaginary situation in which people would choose principles not knowing certain possibly biasing things about
themselves.
a. True
b. False
13. John Rawls derives his principles of justice by asking what principles people who are concerned about the welfare of
others would choose.
a. True
b. False
14. Libertarians do not believe that governments should try to equalize end states of wealth.
a. True
b. False
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
15. To suggest that allowing people to earn as much money as they can because doing so gives people incentive to be
maximally productive comes under which form of reasoning?
a. Utilitarianism
b. Natural law
c. Categorical imperative
d. Relativism
16. Rawls believes justice is to social institutions as
a. Money is to economics.
b. Medicine is to hospitals.
c. Taxes are to government.
d. Truth is to scientific systems.
17. The morality of inequality of opportunity is a(n) _______ ethical concern, while the morality of inequality of outcome
is a(n) ________ ethical concern?
a. Natural law, relative
b. Categorical imperative, natural law
c. Natural law, utilitarian
d. Utilitarian, relative
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18. Distributive justice has to do with
a. How justice is divided within a society.
b. How goods are allocated among persons.
c. How likely one is to get a fair trial.
d. A major in college.
19. According to Robert Nozick, principles that require distribution of social benefits according to moral merit, usefulness
to society, or another natural dimension are best described as which of the following?
a. Historical.
b. Efficient.
c. Patterned.
d. Egalitarian.
20. To suggest that Tom has a right to the money that is earned as a result of his innovative idea comes under which form
of ethical reasoning?
a. Utilitarianism
b. Natural law
c. Categorical imperative
d. Relativism
21. According to Rawls, justice is
a. Equality.
b. Fairness.
c. Mutual agreement.
d. Impossible unless enforced by a sovereign.
22. In Rawls’ experiment of original position, the people most likely to choose Society A are
a. Risk takers.
b. People with a lot of money.
c. Old souls.
d. People who believe in karma.
23. What principle aims to compensate for the bias of arbitrary contingencies in the direction of equality?
a. The principle of acquisitive justice.
b. The principle of redress.
c. The principle of rectification.
d. The principle of reflective equilibrium.
Label as End State (E) or Process (P) views of justice
24. Just societies must satisfy the basic needs of all their members.
Label as Characteristic of a Libertarian (L), Socialist (S) or Liberal (LL) position (In some cases more than one answer is
right—give all which are right):
25. End state view of justice
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Label as End State (E) or Process (P) views of justice
26. A just society must prevent people from unjustly acquiring wealth.
Label as Characteristic of a Libertarian (L), Socialist (S) or Liberal (LL) position (In some cases more than one answer is
right—give all which are right):
27. Positive rights
Label as End State (E) or Process (P) views of justice
28. If some in a society have greater wealth than others this difference is due to the fact that those with more have worked
harder for it.
29. Inequality of wealth in a society is just only if people have equal opportunity to attain the positions to which the
wealth is attached.
Label as Characteristic of a Libertarian (L), Socialist (S) or Liberal (LL) position (In some cases more than one answer is
right—give all which are right):
30. Process view of justice
31. Liberty rather than freedom
32. Negative rights
33. Contrast socialist and libertarian outlooks with regard to their views on whether distributive justice should be
determined by process or end state views.
34. When, according to John Rawls, are economic inequalities justified? Explain the idea of “original position” is intended
to insure that inequalities are justified.
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Answer Key
1. True
2. False
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