Who wrote the book “The Law of Peoples” ?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) John Rawls.

John Rawls, a prominent political philosopher, wrote The Law of Peoples (1999) as a follow-up to his earlier work, A Theory of Justice. In The Law of Peoples, Rawls extends his theory of justice to the international realm, offering a framework for international relations based on the principles of justice as fairness. He presents a theory of human rights and the role of liberal democratic societies in fostering peace and cooperation across nations, while respecting the cultural and political diversity of different societies. Rawls discusses issues such as the rights of peoples, the duty of assistance to disadvantaged societies, and the ethics of war, among others.

Information Booster:

Let’s explore the incorrect options:

• (b) John Locke: Locke was an influential 17th-century philosopher, often considered the father of classical liberalism. His major works include Two Treatises of Government, where he discusses ideas of natural rights and the role of government, but he did not write The Law of Peoples.

• (c) Edward Said: Edward Said was a literary theorist and postcolonial scholar best known for his work Orientalism, which critiques the Western perception of Eastern cultures. While Said’s work discusses cultural and political issues, he did not write The Law of Peoples.

• (d) Francis Fukuyama: Fukuyama is a political scientist and economist known for his book The End of History and the Last Man, which argues that liberal democracy might be the endpoint of mankind’s ideological evolution. However, he did not write The Law of Peoples.

Additional Information

John Rawls (1921–2002) was an influential American political philosopher, best known for his work on the theory of justice. His ideas have had a profound impact on political theory, philosophy, and ethics. Here’s a brief overview of his life and key contributions:

Early Life and Education:

Rawls was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and studied at Princeton University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1943. He then went on to study at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, before completing his PhD at Princeton in 1950. He taught at Harvard University for much of his academic career.

Key Works:

• A Theory of Justice (1971): Rawls' most famous work, A Theory of Justice, introduced his theory of "justice as fairness," which has become one of the cornerstones of modern political philosophy. He argued for two principles of justice:

  1. The Liberty Principle: Each person has an equal right to basic liberties (freedom of speech, assembly, etc.), which cannot be infringed upon.

  2. The Difference Principle: Social and economic inequalities are only justified if they benefit the least advantaged members of society.

  Rawls also introduced the concept of the "original position" and the "veil of ignorance," a hypothetical scenario where individuals design a just society without knowing their own position in it (e.g., wealth, gender, or social status). This ensures fairness because people will choose rules that avoid disadvantaging any group.

• Political Liberalism (1993): In this later work, Rawls refined his ideas to address the challenges of pluralism and the coexistence of diverse moral, philosophical, and religious beliefs in a democratic society. He argued that a just society should be built on principles that could be endorsed by citizens with different conceptions of the good life, fostering what he called an "overlapping consensus."

• The Law of Peoples (1999): In this work, Rawls expanded his theory of justice to the international realm, addressing how societies should relate to one another in a fair global order. He discussed human rights, the duties of assistance to poor nations, and the ethics of war, among other topics.