The Maximin Strategy

Why would people behind the veil choose these specific principles? Rawls argued they would use maximin reasoning — maximizing the minimum outcome. Since you do not know your position, the rational move is to make the worst possible position as good as you can.

Critics argue this is too cautious. A risk-taker might gamble on landing in the top tier and prefer a society with extreme inequality but higher potential upside. Rawls answered that the stakes are too high for gambling — you live your whole life inside the system you pick, so this is not a bet you can walk away from.