Political Theory Midterm Exam UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Justice as Fairness - CORRECT ANSWER Rawls's name for his theory; society should be
organized around fair terms of cooperation that free and equal citizens could accept
Basic Structure of Society - CORRECT ANSWER the major social institutions (constitution,
markets, family, property) that distribute fundamental rights, duties, and life opportunities from birth
Well-Ordered Society - CORRECT ANSWER a society where everyone accepts and knows
others accept the same principles of justice, and basic institutions satisfy those principles
Original Position - CORRECT ANSWER a hypothetical situation where free and rational
persons choose principles of justice without knowing their place in society
Veil of Ignorance - CORRECT ANSWER the condition in the original position that strips
parties of knowledge of their class, talents, values, wealth, and generation, ensuring no one designs
principles to favor themselves
Reflective Equilibrium - CORRECT ANSWER the coherent state achieved by moving back and
forth between principles derived from the original position and our considered moral convictions until
they mutually support one another
Considered Convictions - CORRECT ANSWER the moral judgments we hold most
confidently, such as that racial discrimination is unjust, used as a check on principles derived from the
original position
Lexical (Lexicographic) Priority - CORRECT ANSWER the ordering rule that the first
principle must be fully satisfied before the second principle is applied; basic liberties cannot be traded
for economic gains
First Principle of Justice - CORRECT ANSWER each person is to have an equal right to the
most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme for all others
, Second Principle of Justice - CORRECT ANSWER social and economic inequalities must be
arranged to benefit the least advantaged and be attached to positions open to all under fair equality of
opportunity
Difference Principle - CORRECT ANSWER inequalities in income and wealth are just only if
they improve the expectations of the least advantaged members of society
Fair Equality of Opportunity - CORRECT ANSWER persons with the same talents and
willingness to use them should have the same prospects of success regardless of their social class of
origin
Primary Goods - CORRECT ANSWER things rational persons want regardless of their
particular life plans, including rights, liberties, opportunities, income, wealth, and the social bases of
self-respect
Social Bases of Self-Respect - CORRECT ANSWER the recognition by social institutions that
each person's life and goals are worth pursuing; Rawls considers this the most important primary good
System of Natural Liberty - CORRECT ANSWER an interpretation of the second principle
combining formal equality of opportunity with the efficiency principle; criticized for allowing morally
arbitrary natural talents and social class to determine life prospects
Liberal Equality - CORRECT ANSWER an interpretation combining fair equality of
opportunity with the efficiency principle; an improvement over natural liberty but still allows natural
talent to determine outcomes
Natural Aristocracy - CORRECT ANSWER an unstable interpretation combining formal
equality of opportunity with the difference principle; inconsistent because it corrects for natural luck
but not social luck
Democratic Equality (Rawls) - CORRECT ANSWER Rawls's chosen interpretation combining
fair equality of opportunity with the difference principle; the only consistent position because it
addresses both social and natural arbitrariness
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Justice as Fairness - CORRECT ANSWER Rawls's name for his theory; society should be
organized around fair terms of cooperation that free and equal citizens could accept
Basic Structure of Society - CORRECT ANSWER the major social institutions (constitution,
markets, family, property) that distribute fundamental rights, duties, and life opportunities from birth
Well-Ordered Society - CORRECT ANSWER a society where everyone accepts and knows
others accept the same principles of justice, and basic institutions satisfy those principles
Original Position - CORRECT ANSWER a hypothetical situation where free and rational
persons choose principles of justice without knowing their place in society
Veil of Ignorance - CORRECT ANSWER the condition in the original position that strips
parties of knowledge of their class, talents, values, wealth, and generation, ensuring no one designs
principles to favor themselves
Reflective Equilibrium - CORRECT ANSWER the coherent state achieved by moving back and
forth between principles derived from the original position and our considered moral convictions until
they mutually support one another
Considered Convictions - CORRECT ANSWER the moral judgments we hold most
confidently, such as that racial discrimination is unjust, used as a check on principles derived from the
original position
Lexical (Lexicographic) Priority - CORRECT ANSWER the ordering rule that the first
principle must be fully satisfied before the second principle is applied; basic liberties cannot be traded
for economic gains
First Principle of Justice - CORRECT ANSWER each person is to have an equal right to the
most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme for all others
, Second Principle of Justice - CORRECT ANSWER social and economic inequalities must be
arranged to benefit the least advantaged and be attached to positions open to all under fair equality of
opportunity
Difference Principle - CORRECT ANSWER inequalities in income and wealth are just only if
they improve the expectations of the least advantaged members of society
Fair Equality of Opportunity - CORRECT ANSWER persons with the same talents and
willingness to use them should have the same prospects of success regardless of their social class of
origin
Primary Goods - CORRECT ANSWER things rational persons want regardless of their
particular life plans, including rights, liberties, opportunities, income, wealth, and the social bases of
self-respect
Social Bases of Self-Respect - CORRECT ANSWER the recognition by social institutions that
each person's life and goals are worth pursuing; Rawls considers this the most important primary good
System of Natural Liberty - CORRECT ANSWER an interpretation of the second principle
combining formal equality of opportunity with the efficiency principle; criticized for allowing morally
arbitrary natural talents and social class to determine life prospects
Liberal Equality - CORRECT ANSWER an interpretation combining fair equality of
opportunity with the efficiency principle; an improvement over natural liberty but still allows natural
talent to determine outcomes
Natural Aristocracy - CORRECT ANSWER an unstable interpretation combining formal
equality of opportunity with the difference principle; inconsistent because it corrects for natural luck
but not social luck
Democratic Equality (Rawls) - CORRECT ANSWER Rawls's chosen interpretation combining
fair equality of opportunity with the difference principle; the only consistent position because it
addresses both social and natural arbitrariness
