Practical Relevance of a Realistic Utopia

Abstract

According to Rawls, the international order would be more peaceful, more stable and more just if there were only liberal democratic societies; however, he also says this is unrealistic and there are other forms of society that deserve respect and can be added to the zone of peace that democracies have established between themselves. Calling his theory a ‘realistic utopia’ shows that Rawls thinks both within and beyond theoretical boundaries, here by linking ideal theory to real world circumstances.