Veil Of Ignorance: How To Be A Fair Leader

The veil of ignorance is a concept introduced by John Rawls in his seminal work A Theory of Justice. It is a thought experiment designed to determine the principles of justice that should govern a society. Rawls posits that individuals should create the rules and structures of society behind a “veil of ignorance” about their eventual place in that society. Under the veil, they do not have knowledge of their socioeconomic status, abilities, gender, ethnicity, or any other attributes that could contribute to bias. This impartial approach ensures equity in decision-making, as the rules are created with no self-interest regarding the outcome. People are enforced to consider principles they would have to accept regardless of their place in society.

At the heart of the veil of ignorance is impartiality. By stripping away personal characteristics and biases, decisions made should be as universally fair as humanly possible. People who design systems or rules must assume they could end up in any position, thus resulting in decisions that protect the most vulnerable and worst off. The goal is to create a society where the distribution of benefits and burdens is relatively equal, and where inequalities are justified only if they provide universal benefit.

Imagine you are designing a tax system. You are behind a veil of ignorance. You don’t know if you’ll be rich or poor, a business owner or a laborer. You would likely choose a system that ensures essential needs—education, healthcare—are accessible to all, as you might end up in the lower strata. While accepting that inequalities exist, you would probably design a structure that justifies them only if they improve the well-being of everyone—like progressive taxation that fuels public goods.

The benefits of a veil of ignorance as a leader are clear. Decisions made from an impartial viewpoint are more equitable and ethical. Stripping away personal characteristics minimizes the influence of self-interest. Policies designed with the veil of ignorance often account for both the disadvantaged and the privileged. Decision-makers are enforced to consider perspectives outside their own. Yet there are challenges. It’s difficult to put into practice. Completely detaching from bias and perspectives is challenging, if not impossible. Different individuals have varying interpretations of what “fair” is. Translating the abstract concept into public, actionable policies can be a convoluted process, especially in traditional societies.

Real life applications of the veil of ignorance:

• Ethics: a company is deciding on their employee benefits; leadership imagines they don’t know their role in the company—it’s likely they wouldn’t treat junior employees with low wages and limited healthcare when they could be in that position;

• Policy: designing healthcare systems or social safety nets; politicians might imagine they are born into poverty or with a disability, establishing policies like universal healthcare are then made more appealing since they ensure fairness regardless of personal circumstances;

• Education: allocating resources in schools; policymakers assume they might be born into an underfunded school district to prioritize equitable distribution of teaching resources, educators, and access to technology;

• Conflict: mediating a workplace quandary; a mediator imagines themselves as either party, ensuring the resolution is fair and considers the interests of both sides.

How the veil of ignorance works: (1) you picture yourself as a rational individual tasked with designing a system, and you have no clue of your gender, race, ethnicity, income, wealth, class, talents, skills, disabilities, values, religion, or preferences; (2) you ask what rules would be fair when you could end up in any position within the system; (3) you choose principles that protect the disadvantaged and provide opportunities for all while not straining the privileged. How you might employ the veil of ignorance as a thinking tool: (1) identify the stakeholders, considering everybody affected by the decision, including those with less power and influence; (2) adopt the thought experiment, imagining designing a system without knowing where you stand in it; (3) test fairness, asking whether particular rules would still be fair if you were in the most disadvantaged position; (4) refine with input, seeking diverse perspectives to identify blind spots or unintentional bias.

Thought-provoking insights. “Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.” is a quote by the author, John Rawls, emphasizing how empathizing with those in less favorable positions permits us to create inclusive systems. “Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.” is a timeless saying by Confucius, highlighting how disparities in wealth, power, or opportunity shouldn’t exist or should only if they improve conditions for the least advantaged. Long-term thinking is essential. Design systems as if you might be part of future generations. Imagine the world from a position of equality. Ensure that your decisions uphold the dignity and fairness of all.