John Rawls

"The lexical priority of liberty means that basic freedoms cannot be sacrificed for greater economic benefit."

"Citizens who have shared in the cooperative benefits of society have duties of fairness to one another."

"Natural talents and abilities should not determine the distribution of social and economic advantage."

"Tolerating reasonable comprehensive doctrines is essential to a stable democratic society."

"The principles of justice apply to the basic structure, not directly to individual transactions."

"Political equality among citizens is fundamental to a just democratic regime."

"A just constitutional democracy protects both majority rule and minority rights."

"Citizens must be able to see themselves as equal participants in a shared framework of justice."

"The fair value of political liberty requires institutions that prevent wealth from dominating politics."

"Legitimate law expresses principles that citizens can understand and endorse as free and equal persons."

"Social justice concerns the entire system of institutions, not isolated acts of individuals."

"Stability of just institutions depends on the moral commitment of citizens to principles of fairness."

"The basic rights and liberties are not subject to bargaining or political negotiation."

"Justice requires that institutions be structured to benefit the least advantaged consistently over time."

"Democratic participation is valuable both as a means and as an intrinsic good for citizens."

"Reasonable citizens can disagree about comprehensive doctrines while agreeing on justice."

"The distinction between ideal and non-ideal theory helps us understand how to move toward justice."

"Civil society institutions help sustain a democratic culture and develop citizens' moral capacities."

"Economic institutions should be designed to ensure that inequalities work to everyone's advantage."

"A just society respects the separateness and distinctness of each person."

"Political conception of justice should be freestanding and not dependent on any single comprehensive doctrine."

"The capacity for a sense of justice is among the most important moral capacities citizens develop."

"Background institutions must work together to maintain just initial conditions for fair competition."

"Citizens have a right to be treated as equals in the procedures for making binding political decisions."

"Social cooperation requires principles that each citizen can recognize as fair from their own perspective."

"The primary subject of justice is not individual actions but the basic social structure."

"A well-ordered society achieves stability when citizens develop attachments to just institutions."

"Equal citizens deserve equal consideration in the distribution of basic rights and duties."

"Justice as fairness protects both the separateness of individuals and their equal standing."

"Rational persons behind the veil of ignorance would choose principles that protect the worst off."