The United States has been committed from the start to the social contract vision of
rights. The Declaration of Independence asserts that individuals have certain
inalienable rights, and that governments are instituted to secure them; clearly this is
a product of social contract thinking. However, the Preamble to the U.S.
Constitution directs the governments to "promote the general welfare," which is the
classic goal of utilitarianism. The most pressing challenge for Americans is to find a
fair way to decide what government should do. and which rights it should respect.

John Rawls has been recognized by many as the leading political philosopher
writing in English in the 20th century; some believe that he will be to the 20th
century what John Stuart Mill was to the 19th.

Rawls believes that in the original position, people will choose a scheme allowing
the fullest possible pursuit of a wide range of conceptions about the good life. Basic
liberties, like freedom of religion and freedomofspeech, would be protected
equally for all citizens. Rawls emphasizes that in the original position, people
would be choosing basic standards for government - and such choices are obviously
quite serious. Justice demands that people must be willing to live with the outcome