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

翻译人员: TheFelix Show 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

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

你和一群陌生人 聚集在一起设计一个公正的社会。

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

而且，为了确保你们中的任何人都不会 为了自己的利益而操纵系统，

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

你们都被置于 “无知的面纱” 之下。

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

在这面纱下，你们对彼此和自己的

某些信息视而不见。

and yourselves.

You don’t know your age or sex,

你不知道自己的年龄或性别、

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

你的职业或天赋、你有多少财富，

or your religious or philosophical beliefs.

也不知道你的宗教、 或哲学信仰。

So, according to political philosopher John Rawls,

因此，根据政治哲学家 约翰·罗尔斯（John Rawls）的说法，

you should be motivated to consider what’s most fair

你应该有动力考虑

什么对社会的所有公民最为公平。

for all your society's citizens.

When Rawls published this thought experiment—

当罗尔斯在1971年的著作 《正义理论》中发表这个

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

被称为 “原始立场” 的思想实验时，

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

他正试图确定支持现实乌托邦的原则。

This visionary society would ensure everyone had the resources

这个富有远见的社会将确保 每个人都有

and opportunities required to freely pursue their goals.

自由追求目标 所需的资源和机会。

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

罗尔斯坚信这些原则 只有在民主国家才能实现。

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

但他认为现有的社会结构 不是正确的前进道路。

He believed free market philosophies and welfare capitalism

他认为，自由市场哲学 和福利资本主义

led to unjust accumulations of wealth and power.

导致了财富和权力的不公正积累。

And he saw models inspired by Marxism

他还认为受马克思主义启发的模型

as extreme reactions to capitalism’s flaws,

是对资本主义缺陷的极端反应，

with unrealistic assumptions about economies and human nature.

它对经济和人性的假设是不切实际的。

So Rawls proposed a new kind of democracy.

因此，罗尔斯提出了一种新的民主制度。

One where no person was considered less valuable than another

在这种环境中，没有人被认为 比另一个人更有价值，

and all citizens could live according to their own wills.

所有公民都可以 按照自己的意愿生活。

And while the details of this vision can seem radical,

尽管这一愿景的细节看似激进，

Rawls believed that, under the veil of ignorance,

罗尔斯认为，在无知的面纱下，

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

自由和平等的人 会一致同意他的公平社会。

So, let’s play out this thought experiment.

那么，让我们来玩玩这个 思想实验。

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

设计我们社会的第一步 是决定如何分配

what Rawls called primary goods.

罗尔斯所谓的初级商品。

These include the basic liberties, opportunities, and wealth

其中包括追求大多数目标所需的

necessary for pursuing most goals.

基本自由、机会和财富。

Rawls believed our justice-architects would agree

罗尔斯相信，我们的司法架构师会同意

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

为所有人制定 “平等的基本自由计划”，

including freedom of speech

包括言论自由

and the freedom to associate with whoever they choose.

和与他们选择的任何人结社的自由。

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

毕竟，如果没有追求目标的自由，

resources like wealth and job opportunities lose their value.

财富和就业机会等 资源就会失去价值。

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

公民还将有平等的政治 自由来投票和竞选公职。

Next, Rawls believes the architects would establish what he calls

接下来，罗尔斯相信建筑师 将建立他所谓的

“fair equality of opportunity.”

“公平机会平等”。

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

这意味着社会必须进行设计， 使任何人都不会被不公平地剥夺

竞争有价值的工作和其他职位所需的资源。

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

However, after agreeing upon equality of liberty and opportunity,

但是，在就自由和机会平等 达成协议后，

Rawls believes our justice-architects would see the benefits

罗尔斯相信我们的司法架构师将看到

of allowing for some wealth inequalities.

允许某些财富不平等的好处。

For example, greater profits can incentivize innovation,

例如，更高的利润 可以激励创新、

productivity, and investment.

生产力和投资。

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

但罗尔斯也认为，我们的设计师 希望用他所谓的 “差异原则”

with what he calls “the difference principle.”

来限制财富差异。

This states that wealth inequalities are only acceptable

这表明，财富不平等只有在 使处境最不利的公民受益时

when they benefit the least advantaged citizens,

才是可以接受的，

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

这使他们的生活比在严格平等的 条件下更好。

These tenets form the foundation of Rawls’ just society,

这些原则构成了 罗尔斯正义社会的基础，

and he believed they could be achieved through what he called

他相信这些原则可以通过他所谓的

“property owning democracy.”

“财产所有制民主” 来实现。

This model would guarantee equal access to education and healthcare

这种模式将保障平等 获得教育和医疗保健的机会，

and rely on government regulation to ensure a just distribution

并依赖政府监管 来确保财产和财富的

of property and wealth.

公平分配。

Rawls knew fully adopting this approach would require major changes

罗尔斯知道，完全采用这种方法需要

for existing democracies.

对现有民主国家进行重大变革。

But he believed his principles could at least inspire

但他认为，他的原则至少可以激发

some immediate improvements.

一些立竿见影的改进。

For example, Rawls advocated for limits on campaign spending

例如，罗尔斯主张限制竞选支出

and political contributions

和政治捐款，

to reduce the influence of wealth on politics.

以减少财富对政治的影响。

He also endorsed policies fighting discrimination

他还支持打击歧视的政策

and generous social safety nets like unemployment benefits

以及失业救济金 等慷慨的社会安全网，

to ensure a good situation for the worst-off.

以确保处境最不利的人 获得良好的处境。

Some philosophers have critiqued Rawls’ work.

一些哲学家 批评了罗尔斯的作品。

Ronald Dworkin argues that the difference principle

罗纳德·德沃金（Ronald Dworkin）认为， 差异原则

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

不公平地将社会的进步 与处境最不利的人联系在一起，

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

即使他们因为自己的选择 而处于这种境地。

Meanwhile, Martha Nussbaum believes Rawls’ thought experiment

同时，玛莎·努斯鲍姆（Martha Nussbaum）认为， 罗尔斯的思想实验忽略了

overlooks real-life particulars.

现实生活中的细节。

For example, the special needs of a person with disabilities

例如，残疾人的特殊需求

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

可能无法被初级商品的 标准分配满足。

And more generally,

更笼统地说，

some argue the architects in Rawls’ harmonious thought experiment

有人认为罗尔斯和谐思维实验中的

are simply too different from the competing interests

架构师与 建设真实社会的相互竞争的

building real societies.

利益集团截然不同。

But since its publication,

但是自发表以来，

this thought experiment has inspired some very real consequences.

这个思想实验已经激发了 一些非常真实的后果。

Rawls’ rallying cry for social and political equality

罗尔斯集会呼吁社会和政治平等

and a more justly regulated form of capitalism

以及更公正的资本主义监管

has impacted countless political philosophers, activists, and policymakers.

影响了无数政治 哲学家、活动家和决策者。

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

而这种关于正义的新思想流派继续要求

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

人们摆脱偏见，思考一个公平的社会 到底会是什么样子。