Skip to main content

Picture a perfect society. What does it look like? - Joseph Lacey

250,937 Views

777 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

A group of strangers have gathered to design a just society. To ensure none of them rig the system, they’ve been placed under a veil of ignorance. Under this veil, they’re blind to information about age, sex, profession, wealth, religion, and so on. Can they build a fair society where everyone has the resources they need? Joseph Lacey details John Rawls' classic thought experiment.

Why does Rawls think that the first principle of justice should be about securing an 'equal scheme of basic liberties for all'?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Joseph Lacey
  • Director Eoin Duffy
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Composer Salil Bhayani
  • Sound Designer Amanda P.H. Bennett
  • Produced by Gerta Xhelo, Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

More from Exploring Theories