Título: John Rawls
Seção: The Law of Peoples
Background: John Bordley Rawls (; February 21, 1921 - November 24, 2002) was an American moral and political philosopher in the liberal tradition. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard University and the Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Oxford. Rawls received both the Schock Prize for Logic and Philosophy and the National Humanities Medal in 1999, the latter presented by President Bill Clinton, in recognition of how Rawls's work "helped a whole generation of learned Americans revive their faith in democracy itself." In his 1990 introduction to the field, Will Kymlicka wrote that "it is generally accepted that the recent rebirth of normative political philosophy began with the publication of John Rawls's A Theory of Justice in 1971."

Conteúdo: Although there were passing comments on international affairs in A Theory of Justice, it wasn't until late in his career that Rawls formulated a comprehensive theory of international politics with the publication of The Law of Peoples. He claimed there that "well-ordered" peoples could be either "liberal" or "decent". Rawls argued that the legitimacy of a liberal international order is contingent on tolerating decent peoples, which differ from liberal peoples, among other ways, in that they might have state religions and deny adherents of minority faiths the right to hold positions of power within the state, and might organize political participation via consultation hierarchies rather than elections. However, no well-ordered peoples may violate human rights or behave in an externally aggressive manner. Peoples that fail to meet the criteria of "liberal" or "decent" peoples are referred to as "outlaw states", "societies burdened by unfavourable conditions" or "benevolent absolutisms" depending on their particular failings. Such peoples do not have the right to mutual respect and toleration possessed by liberal and decent peoples.  Rawls's views on global distributive justice as they were expressed in this work surprised many of his fellow egalitarian liberals. For example, Charles Beitz had previously written a study that argued for the application of Rawls's Difference Principles globally. Rawls denied that his principles should be so applied, partly on the grounds that stat

user: What is the Law of Peoples?

assistant: Rawls formulated a comprehensive theory of international politics with the publication of The Law of Peoples.

user: What was the main point of his theory of international politics?

assistant: He claimed there that "well-ordered" peoples could be either "liberal" or "decent".

user: What does "liberal" mean in this context?

assistant: Rawls argued that the legitimacy of a liberal international order is contingent on tolerating decent peoples,

user: What does he see as a "decent" person?

assistant: in that they might have state religions and deny adherents of minority faiths the right to hold positions of power within the state,

user: Does he think being a "decent" or "liberal" person is better?

assistant: Rawls argued that the legitimacy of a liberal international order is contingent on tolerating decent peoples,