Liberal principles of Justice and Emerging Trend of Economic Liberalization: Lesson from Rawlsian Scheme of Distributive Justice

Abstract

We are living in the age of so-called economic liberalization. Markets are expanding andStates are voluntarily limiting their legitimate right as the only redistributing authority of resources.The money market has globalized in such a manner that state has almost lost itscapacity to hold its redistributive function. Economic liberalization is one of the most dominatingpolicy frame work which is to be pursued and institutionally concretized in many of thepost-colonial societies as the legitimate and only viable alternative mechanism to regulatethe distribution of resources. It has been claimed that the market is relatively far more justmechanism to distribute the legitimate share of recourses under the principle of efficiency. Itis very interesting to note that the principle of efficiency has been presented in post-colonialsocieties as the only way to realize the principle of freedom. Because any attempt to counterthe so-called policy of economic liberalization is presented as anti-liberal. However in Rawlsianframe work the principle of freedom is prior to the principle of efficiency. In this article itwill be argued that in liberal conception of justice expounded by Rawls, the principle of libertyis prior to the principle of efficiency, and the distribution of resources through the myth ofefficient-market-mechanism i.e. independent of State intervention and governance as redistributiveauthority is against the principle of liberty according to Rawls. Thus the so calledeconomic liberalization and principle of liberty are mutually incompatible.Keywords: Distribution of Resources, Economic-liberalization, Liberalism, Market, Rawls, State.