Political constructivism in Rawls's 'Political Liberalism'
By: KLOSKO, George
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ArticlePublisher: New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, September 1997American Political Science Review 91, 3, p. 635-646Abstract: In Political Liberalism, John Rawls (1993) employs a distinctive method of "political constructivism" to establish his well-known principles of justice. He argues that his principles are suited to bridge the ineradicable pluralism of liberal societies and so to ground an "overlapping consensus." I will not question his claim that his method supports his principles, but I do not believe Rawls adequately defends his reliance on this particular method rather than alternatives. If the goal of Rawls's "political" philosophy is to derive principles that are able to overcome liberal pluralism, then another and simpler method should be employed, which would also give rise to quite different moral principles.
In Political Liberalism, John Rawls (1993) employs a distinctive method of "political constructivism" to establish his well-known principles of justice. He argues that his principles are suited to bridge the ineradicable pluralism of liberal societies and so to ground an "overlapping consensus." I will not question his claim that his method supports his principles, but I do not believe Rawls adequately defends his reliance on this particular method rather than alternatives. If the goal of Rawls's "political" philosophy is to derive principles that are able to overcome liberal pluralism, then another and simpler method should be employed, which would also give rise to quite different moral principles.
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