Rawls’ A Theory of Justice attempts to derive ethics from a new kind of social contract. Rawls asks us to imagine a group of rather odd ahistorical beings who come together to agree on a future community in which they and their children will live.
We are rational, self-interested and equal in status. Most importantly, we are totally in the dark about our own financial prospects and likely status in this future community. we’re asked to invent a series of rules that we think necessary to make this future community just and fair.
The “veil of ignorance” ensures that the least privileged members of this society will get some protection, because everyone will want to insure themselves against a possible future life of poverty. Rawls suggests that such a group would emerge with the two principles of “liberty” and “difference”. Everyone would want to be free to lead their own lives and yet have different goals in life.