John Rawls: A Theory of Justice
What is Rawls attitudes toward the least advantaged people in society?

This reading confused me a bit, but I think what Rawls is saying is that in order for life to function each sector or group needs to have established standard of living. The people at the bottom of this chart will in turn affect the higher people in society due to the fact that in any cycle one level affects the next. “Since each desires to protect his interests, his capacity to advance his conception of the good, no one has a reason to acquiesce in a enduring loss for himself in order to bring about a greater net balance of satisfaction” (Rawls 202). Through this quote, I feel that Rawls is trying to say that people in general are concerned for themselves, so why should a person go out of their way to better someone of a lower rank and in turn affect their standings. What need is there to balance a system that is already distinctly divided. I am not sure if this is what he means, but what I get from it is that Rawls feels the need for the division and rank of citizens and that if you are a disadvantaged person in society, then that is where you should stay, unless you can bring yourself out of it. Rawls feels that what is just then in turn is fair, each sector of ranks need to keep where they are in order for the system to be just which is supposable fair.

Rawls, John. “A Theory of Justice.” A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 195-206.