The Veil Of Justice Analysis

and his followers are uncomfortable in addressing. This accusation further evidenced by the fact that in his mammoth book a theory of Justice, not one mention of race is present. Mills states that if one asks the “classic question of cui bono? Then it is obvious that ideal theory can only serve the interests of the privileged.” The marginalization of race by the Rawlsian model, has led some to see that ideal theory is unhelpful in understanding one of the most noteworthy forms of injustice. This indictment would cripple any theory of justice. There is no corrective approach to the Rawlsian model as in, no way to pave a path for social justice. Therefore, there is no way to combat these incessant injustices.

Mills explains this implication

In his experiment Rawls imagines a group of individuals assembled to design their just, future society. The future citizens do not know what position they will be in this new society. They must plan this new society behind what Rawls calls the Veil of Ignorance. This veil of ignorance stipulates that, “no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status; nor does he know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence and strength, and the like”. Furthermore, the people in this experiment do not know the culture, traditions and economic standing of this future society. It is important for Rawls theory of justice, and what constitutes as justice to be derived from this experiment of the veil. Rawls states that “if a man knew that he was wealthy, he might find it rational to advance the principle that various taxes for welfare measures be counted unjust; if he knew that he were poor, he would most likely propose the contrary principle. To represent the desired outcome, one must operate independent of such

Mills writes, epistemology of ignorance is “…a particular pattern of localized and global cognitive dysfunctions (which are psychologically and socially functional), producing the ironic outcome that whites will in general be unable to understand the world they themselves have made”. In other words, there exists an implicit consensus about cognitive norms within a society. A consensus about how things should be. Indeed, epistemology of ignorance states that there is a specific interpretation of the world. Furthermore, there is a group within society that deems its interpretation of justice, as the correct interpretation. This interpretation is not according to all members of society, but only those powerful enough. Minorities within society either act in agreement with proposed interpretation, or they are regarded with suspicion. Agreement with the officially sanctioned reality allows some to be contractually granted some cognitive membership within the powerful community. If you follow the ‘official’ interpretation of reality or justice, then you are counted within the powerful group. Divergence from that interpretation will be regarded as inconsequential and dismissed. However, the endorsed view of reality is not the actual reality. There is a cognitive dysfunction that exists that Mills warns against- blindness in place to maintain the oppressive