OREM, Utah — Imagine a grand council of humanity. In this meeting it doesn't matter what one's position is on Earth. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor. It doesn't matter if you are male or female, white or black, weak or strong. In fact, it doesn't matter because a veil of ignorance or forgetfulness is over you and you don't know what your position is on Earth. Imagine that you are trying to decide on what principles should govern conduct on Earth.John Rawls' "Original Position" thought experiment isn't exactly the same as the Mormon concept of a Grand Council in Heaven, but a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints probably can't help thinking about the similarities.Liberal political philosopher Rawls was a leading proponent of social justice. Chris Henrichsen, who teaches political science at BYU and is a self-described "Rawlsian," discussed several places where he thinks the economic and social teachings of Mormon scripture line up with Rawls' liberal secular philosophy.Henrichsen spoke on Friday, March 26, to an audience of about 40 people at the seventh annual meeting of the Society for Mormon Philosophy and Theology held at Utah Valley University. Drawing particularly from Rawls' famous book "A Theory of Justice," Henrichsen found several ways in which Rawls and Mormon scriptures agree.Rawls "original position" idea, created a "very safe space," Henrichsen said. Everybody was gathered together to discuss the plan that will "guide their mortal existence."In the Grand Council, the issue is agency. In Rawls' imaginary "original position" meeting, the issue is different."(Rawls) argues that in the conditions of the original position, within the veil of ignorance, we would chose basic liberty — equality, ... as well as a certain form of economic equality," Henrichsen said.The economic equality principle Rawls imagined out of the "original position" imaginary meeting is expressed in something called the "difference principle."Henrichsen explained the difference principle this way: "Inequality within our society is only acceptable to the extent that it benefits the least well-off. So if we are going to have inequalities, these inequalities should be ones that benefit everyone — and in particular the most poor, the most disadvantaged within our society."Some of the things that create inequalities that benefit everybody could be incentive systems that encourage competition, innovation and entrepreneurship. "Sort of adopting in a way Adam Smith's idea that if we have competition, we have innovation, there will be more productivity and we will all be better off," Henrichsen said.Rawls believed that societies based on capitalism should have strong social welfare mechanism. Henrichsen joked that basically, it would look like Sweden.While admitting that most Mormons would not be excited to live in a social democratic system, Henrichsen said, "I find when looking at LDS scripture certain themes that are very similar to those of Rawls."One idea is that we should have a certain equality. Jacob laments in the Book of Mormon how great prosperity and wealth have led some to persecute the poor "because (they) suppose that (they) are better than they" (Jacob 2:13). This pride is a regular theme throughout the Book of Mormon and it divides the people. "We somehow (feel we) are naturally or morally superior if we are wealthy," Henrichsen said.In 3 Nephi 6:12, the people are distinguished in ranks according to their riches and learning. "And thus there became a great inequality in all the land" (3 Nephi 6:14)."This reminds me of a strong theme within Rawls," Henrichsen said. "(Rawls) is not really arguing about inequality but arguing about democracy. A society that is marked with great inequality can not be democratic."Political power in such a society would be wielded by those with the greatest resources, Henrichsen said. It cannot survive without some sense of equality. Extreme inequality leads to collapse.The danger is when people who are wealthy believe that they deserve their wealth. In Mosiah 4, King Benjamin warns about believing a beggar deserves his condition. Thinking wealth is deserved and poverty is deserved are two sides of the same coin. "You don't have an absolute claim to that wealth," Henrichsen said, "because you live in a society that makes that possible."It is a recognition of factors beyond ourselves in our accumulation of wealth. "Once we start to view ourselves as deserving of wealth we have, we soon begin to forget about God," Henrichsen said.Henrichsen sees Mormonism as a balance between the individual and the community."Do Mormons believe in social justice?" he asked. "Essentially, I think the way we have to answer that question is 'yes.'"
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