Justice

Episode 8: What's A Fair Start?/What Do We Deserve?

November 1, 2009 • 30 min

Rawls argues that even meritocracy—a distributive system that rewards effort—doesn’t go far enough in leveling the playing field because those who are naturally gifted will always get ahead. Furthermore, says Rawls, the naturally gifted can’t claim much credit because their success often depends on factors as arbitrary as birth order. Sandel discusses the fairness of pay differentials in modern society.