Rawls, John

"Citizens have a duty to support just institutions and to work toward their improvement when they fall short of justice."

"A conception of justice must specify how basic liberties can be limited in ways that are fair to all citizens."

"The original position is an expository device that helps us think clearly about what fair terms of cooperation would be."

"Justice in a democratic society requires that political decision-making procedures respect the equal standing of all citizens."

"The difference principle permits significant inequalities when they are arranged to benefit those in the worst position."

"A just basic structure provides all citizens with the resources and opportunities necessary to develop their capacities."

"Political power in a democracy must be exercised in ways that are consistent with respect for citizens as moral and political equals."

"Justice requires that we distinguish between what is natural and what is just; natural distributions of talents are not inherently just."

"The basic liberties include freedom of conscience, freedom of thought, freedom of association, and political liberties."

"Citizens should understand that their fellow citizens are free moral agents entitled to equal consideration in the design of institutions."

"A stable just society depends on citizens internalizing a sense of justice as part of their individual moral psychology."

"Justice as fairness rejects the notion that social positions should be distributed by a lottery, preferring fair procedures instead."

"The capacity for a sense of justice is one of the moral powers that defines human beings as rational agents."