Theories of Justice, Respect, and Fraternity

Philosophical reflection on theories of justice, especially liberal-egalitarian ones, is often accused of dwelling exclusively on the distributive and procedural aspects of justice and on resting upon an overly abstract and disembedded idea of the individual. In my contribution I will argue that this critique is unfounded and will show – by highlighting elements of John Rawls’s thought that are frequently overlooked – that a socio-relational and even communitarian dimension can be discerned, which is fully consistent with the original spirit of egalitarian liberalism. In order to support my claim, I will show that respect for persons, both as moral equals and as particular individuals, is central to this dimension and finds a central ground in fraternity.