The Original Position
In A Theory of Justice (1971), John Rawls proposed one of the most influential thought experiments in political philosophy. Imagine you must design the rules of society — but you don't know who you'll be in it. You don't know your wealth, intelligence, gender, race, or even your conception of the good life. From this 'original position' behind the 'veil of ignorance,' what kind of society would you choose?
The Maximin Strategy
Rawls argued that rational agents behind the veil would adopt the maximin principle: choose the social arrangement where the worst-off position is as good as possible. Since you might end up at the bottom, you'd want a robust safety net. The simulation lets you adjust inequality levels and safety nets to see how different configurations affect each class — and what a rational designer would choose.
Inequality Can Be Just
Rawls did not demand perfect equality. His difference principle allows inequality — but only if it improves the position of the least advantaged. A surgeon might earn more than a janitor, but only if that incentive structure produces enough wealth to raise the janitor's standard of living above what it would be under forced equality. The simulation quantifies this trade-off between efficiency and fairness.
A Tool for Modern Policy
The veil of ignorance is more than academic philosophy — it is a practical tool for evaluating policy. Should we fund universal healthcare? Behind the veil, you might be the person who needs it most. Should we have progressive taxation? You don't know if you'll be the billionaire or the minimum-wage worker. The simulation lets you test these decisions with quantified consequences.