John Rawls: A Theory of Justice

Rawls articulates his idea of “justice and fairness”, justices as fairness is a phrase Rawls uses to refer to his distinctive theory of justice. Justice as fairness consists of two principles, that all have the greatest degree of liberty compatible with like liberty for all, and that social and economic inequalities be attached to positions open to all under fair equality of opportunity and to the greatest benefit of the least well-off members of society (202). Rawls argues that the two principles would be chosen by representative parties in the original position, a thought experiment in which the parties are to choose among principles of justice to order the basic structure of society from behind a veil ignorance, depriving the representatives of information about the particular characteristics (such as wealth and natural abilities) of the parties that they represent (200).
Rawls is trying to relay that it is like if you were to set yourself the task of developing a completely new social contract for today's society. Now how would you do that fairly? Although you could never actually eliminate all of your personal biases and prejudices, you would need to take steps at least to minimize them. Rawls suggests that you imagine yourself in an original position behind a veil of ignorance. Behind this veil, you know nothing of yourself and your natural abilities, or your position in society. You know nothing of your sex, race, nationality, or individual tastes. Behind such a veil of ignorance all individuals are simply specified as rational, free, and morally equal beings. You do know that in the "real world", however, there will be a wide variety in the natural distribution of natural assets and abilities, and that there will be differences of sex, race, and culture that will distinguish groups of people from each other.

Rawls, John. “A Theory of Justice.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006. pp200-202.