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 and
States 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 its
capacity to hold its redistributive function. Economic liberalization is one of the most dominating
policy frame work which is to be pursued and institutionally concretized in many of the
post-colonial societies as the legitimate and only viable alternative mechanism to regulate
the distribution of resources. It has been claimed that the market is relatively far more just
mechanism to distribute the legitimate share of recourses under the principle of efficiency. It
is very interesting to note that the principle of efficiency has been presented in post-colonial
societies as the only way to realize the principle of freedom. Because any attempt to counter
the so-called policy of economic liberalization is presented as anti-liberal. However in Rawlsian
frame work the principle of freedom is prior to the principle of efficiency. In this article it
will be argued that in liberal conception of justice expounded by Rawls, the principle of liberty
is prior to the principle of efficiency, and the distribution of resources through the myth of
efficient-market-mechanism i.e. independent of State intervention and governance as redistributive
authority is against the principle of liberty according to Rawls. Thus the so called
economic liberalization and principle of liberty are mutually incompatible.

Keywords: Distribution of Resources, Economic-liberalization, Liberalism, Market, Rawls, State.