John Rawls

American philosopher at Harvard — author of A Theory of Justice (1971) and Political Liberalism — who revived Anglo-American political philosophy and provided the most influential liberal theory of justice in the 20th century.

Creates the veil of ignorance and the difference principle — Rawls's theory (that just principles are those we would choose not knowing our social position) and his difference principle (that inequalities are just only if they benefit the least advantaged) is the most sophisticated liberal egalitarian theory and structured Anglo-American political philosophy for 50 years.