---
title: "Rawls's A Theory of Justice: Summary | Model Diplomat"
description: "A Theory of Justice is Rawls's 1971 contractarian framework deriving justice as fairness behind a veil of ignorance. See its two principles and GS4 use."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/rawls-theory-of-justice"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- A Theory of Justice is John Rawls's 1971 treatise deriving principles of distributive justice from a hypothetical social contract chosen behind a veil of ignorance.
- What are the two principles of justice in Rawls's theory?
- What is the veil of ignorance and why does it matter?
- How does Rawls differ from utilitarianism and Nozick's libertarianism?
- Why is A Theory of Justice relevant to the UPSC GS4 ethics paper?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In its 2018 Navtej Singh Johar judgment decriminalising consensual homosexual conduct, the Indian Supreme Court invoked the priority of equal basic liberties and dignity in reasoning consonant with Rawls's first principle.

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