Picture a perfect society. What does it look like? - Joseph Lacey

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Milena Petrovic

You and a group of strangers have been gathered to design a just society.

Vi i grupa stranaca ste se okupili da osmislite pravedno društvo.

And to ensure none of you rig the system to benefit yourself,

A kako biste se postarali da niko od vas ne iskrivi sistem u svoju korist,

you’ve all been placed under a “veil of ignorance.”

svi ste smešteni pod „veo neznanja”.

Under this veil, you’re blind to certain information about each other

Pod ovim velom, slepi ste za određene informacije jedni o drugima

and yourselves.

i vama samima.

You don’t know your age or sex,

Ne znate svoj uzrast ili pol,

your profession or natural talents, how much wealth you have,

svoju profesiju ili prirodne nadarenosti, koliko bogatstva posedujete,

or your religious or philosophical beliefs.

svoju religiju ili filozofska ubeđenja.

So, according to political philosopher John Rawls,

Stoga biste, prema političkom filozofu Džonu Rolsu,

you should be motivated to consider what’s most fair

trebalo da budete motivisani da razmotrite šta je najpravednije

for all your society's citizens.

za sve građane u vašem društvu.

When Rawls published this thought experiment—

Kada je Rols objavio ovaj misaoni eksperiment—

known as “the original position”— in his 1971 opus “A Theory of Justice,”

poznat kao „prvobitni položaj”— u svom delu „Teorija pravde” iz 1971,

he was trying to identify principles to support a realistic utopia.

pokušavao je da prepozna principe koji bi išli u prilog realistične utopije.

This visionary society would ensure everyone had the resources

Ovo zamišljeno društvo bi se postaralo da svako ima resurse

and opportunities required to freely pursue their goals.

i potrebne šanse da slobodno ostvaruje svoje ciljeve.

Rawls was confident these principles could only be realized in a democracy.

Rols je bio ubeđen da se ovi principi jedino mogu realizovati u demokratiji.

But he felt existing social structures weren’t the right path forward.

Smatrao je pak da postojeće društvene strukture nisu odgovarajući put napred.

He believed free market philosophies and welfare capitalism

Verovao je da filozofije slobodnog tržišta i kapitalizam blagostanja

led to unjust accumulations of wealth and power.

vode do nepravedne akumulacije bogastva i moći.

And he saw models inspired by Marxism

I gledao je na modele inspirisane marksizmom

as extreme reactions to capitalism’s flaws,

kao na ekstremne reakcije na nedostatke kapitalizma,

with unrealistic assumptions about economies and human nature.

sa nerealističnim pretpostavkama o ekonomijama i ljudskoj prirodi.

So Rawls proposed a new kind of democracy.

Stoga je Rols predložio novi vid demokratije.

One where no person was considered less valuable than another

Onaj u kome se nijedna osoba ne smatra manje vrednom od druge

and all citizens could live according to their own wills.

i svi građani mogu da žive po sopstvenom nahođenju.

And while the details of this vision can seem radical,

Iako se detalji ove vizije mogu učiniti radikalnim,

Rawls believed that, under the veil of ignorance,

Rols je verovao da bi, pod velom neznanja,

free and equal people would unanimously agree to his fair society.

slobodni i ravnopravni ljudi jednoglasno pristali na njegovo pravedno društvo.

So, let’s play out this thought experiment.

Zato odigrajmo ovaj misaoni eksperiment.

The first step in designing our society is deciding how to distribute

Prvi korak u osmišljavanju našeg društva je odluka o tome kako raspodeliti

what Rawls called primary goods.

ono što je Rols nazivao primarnim dobrima.

These include the basic liberties, opportunities, and wealth

Ona uključuju osnovne slobode, šanse i bogatstvo

necessary for pursuing most goals.

potrebne za ostvarivanje većine ciljeva.

Rawls believed our justice-architects would agree

Rols je verovao da bi naše „arhitekte pravednosti” pristale

to an “equal scheme of basic liberties” for all,

na „ravnopravni nacrt osnovnih sloboda” za sve,

including freedom of speech

uključujući slobodu govora

and the freedom to associate with whoever they choose.

i slobodu udruživanja s kime god da izaberu.

After all, without the freedom to pursue one's goals,

Naposletku, bez slobode ostvarivanja sopstvenih ciljeva,

resources like wealth and job opportunities lose their value.

resursi poput bogatstva i šansi za zaposlenje gube na vrednosti.

Citizens would also have equal political liberties to vote and run for office.

Građani bi imali i jednake političke slobode da glasaju i budu birani.

Next, Rawls believes the architects would establish what he calls

Potom, Rols veruje da bi arhitekte osnovale nešto što naziva

“fair equality of opportunity.”

„pravednom jednakošću šansi.”

This means society must be arranged so no one is unfairly deprived

To znači da društvo mora biti organizovano tako da niko nije nepravedno lišen

of the resources necessary to compete for valued jobs and other positions.

potrebnih resursa da se nadmeće za vredne poslove i druge pozicije.

However, after agreeing upon equality of liberty and opportunity,

Međutim, nakon što pristanu na jednakost u slobodi i šansama,

Rawls believes our justice-architects would see the benefits

Rols veruje da bi naše arhitekte pravednosti uvideli benefite

of allowing for some wealth inequalities.

dozvoljavanja određenog vida nejednakosti u bogatstvu.

For example, greater profits can incentivize innovation,

Na primer, veći profit podstiče inovaciju,

productivity, and investment.

produktivnost i investicije.

But Rawls also believes our designers would want to limit differences in wealth

Međutim, Rols veruje i da bi naši tvorci želeli da ograniče razlike u bogatstvu

with what he calls “the difference principle.”

nečim što naziva „principom razlike”.

This states that wealth inequalities are only acceptable

Ovim se tvrdi da su razlike u bogatstvu jedino prihvatljive

when they benefit the least advantaged citizens,

kada idu u prilog najneprivilegovanijim građanima,

making them better off than they’d be under conditions of strict equality.

zbog kojih žive bolje nego što bi živeli u uslovima stroge jednakosti.

These tenets form the foundation of Rawls’ just society,

Ova načela obrazuju temelj Rolsovog pravednog društva,

and he believed they could be achieved through what he called

i on je verovao da mogu da se ostvare preko nečeg što je nazivao

“property owning democracy.”

„demokratijom posedovanja svojine”.

This model would guarantee equal access to education and healthcare

Ovaj model bi garantovao jednak pristup obrazovanju i zdravstvu,

and rely on government regulation to ensure a just distribution

i oslanjao bi se na vladinu regulaciju kako bi omogućio pravednu raspodelu

of property and wealth.

svojine i bogatstva.

Rawls knew fully adopting this approach would require major changes

Rols je znao da bi potpuna primena ovog pristupa zahtevala značajne promene

for existing democracies.

u postojećim demokratijama.

But he believed his principles could at least inspire

Međutim, smatrao je da bi njegovi principi bar mogli da nadahnu

some immediate improvements.

neka trenutna unapređenja.

For example, Rawls advocated for limits on campaign spending

Na primer, Rols se zalagao da se ograniči potrošnja tokom političkih kampanja

and political contributions

i politički doprinosi

to reduce the influence of wealth on politics.

kako bi se umanjio uticaj bogatstva na politiku.

He also endorsed policies fighting discrimination

Takođe je podržavao zakone koji se bore protiv diskriminacije

and generous social safety nets like unemployment benefits

i izdašne socijalne podrške, poput dodataka za nezaposlenost,

to ensure a good situation for the worst-off.

kako bi se obezbedilo dobro stanje za najugroženije.

Some philosophers have critiqued Rawls’ work.

Neki filozofi su kritikovali Rolsov rad.

Ronald Dworkin argues that the difference principle

Ronald Dvorkin tvrdi da „princip razlike”

unfairly tethers society’s progress to the status of the worst-off,

nepravedno sputava društveni napredak statusom najugroženijih,

even if they’re in that position because of their own choices.

čak i kada su u tom položaju zbog sopstvenih izbora.

Meanwhile, Martha Nussbaum believes Rawls’ thought experiment

U međuvremenu, Marta Nusbaum veruje da Rolsov misaoni eksperiment

overlooks real-life particulars.

previđa pojedinosti iz stvarnog života.

For example, the special needs of a person with disabilities

Na primer, posebne potrebe osobe sa invaliditetom

might not be satisfied by the standard distribution of primary goods.

možda ne bi bile zadovoljene standardnom raspodelom primarnih dobara.

And more generally,

I uopštenije,

some argue the architects in Rawls’ harmonious thought experiment

neki tvrde da se arhitekte u Rolsovom harmoničnom misaonom eksperimentu

are simply too different from the competing interests

prosto isuviše razlikuju od suprotstavljenih interesa

building real societies.

koji grade stvarna društva.

But since its publication,

Međutim, od njegovog objavljivanja,

this thought experiment has inspired some very real consequences.

ovaj misaoni eksperiment je inspirisao neke krajnje stvarne posledice.

Rawls’ rallying cry for social and political equality

Rolsov poklič za društvenu i političku jednakost

and a more justly regulated form of capitalism

i pravednije regulisani oblik kapitalizma

has impacted countless political philosophers, activists, and policymakers.

je uticao na bezbroj političkih filozofa, aktivista i kreatora politika.

And this new school of thought about justice continues to challenge people

A ova nova škola mišljenja o pravednosti nastavlja da izaziva ljude

to look past their biases and consider what a fair society might truly look like.

da prevaziđu predrasude i razmotre kako bi pravedno društvo uistinu moglo da izgleda.