But as humans became more mobile and able to live in larger and largersettlements packed with people who did not know one another personally andcould not “get back at” others if they were injured or insulted (or praised andstrengthened) by them, the Golden Rule became less and less sufficient as a moralguide. Indeed, as people from once-separate cultures came into closer proxim-ity, “doing unto others what you want done to yourself” often became a causeof conflict itself! What is a tribute in one society might well be an insult in an-other. In our modern, congested, multicultural world, a better, new Golden Rulemight be, “Do unto others as they wish you to do unto them.” In this sense,then, ethics becomes “situational” (something to be negotiated between strangersor newcomers) rather than something absolute and obvious for people who livetogether from birth to death.

Thus a “well-ordered political system as a fair system of co-operation over time from one generation to the next” is designed on the basis oftwo rules.1. Each person has the same indefeasible claim to a fully adequate scheme ofequal basic liberties, which scheme is compatible with the same scheme ofliberties for all.2. Social and economic inequalities are to satisfy two conditions: first, they areto be attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fairequality of opportunity; second, they are to be to the greater benefit of theleast-advantaged members of society

Rawls says that a “well-ordered” political society is “a fair system ofcooperation over time from one generation to the next, where those engaged incooperation are viewed as free and equal citizens and normal cooperating mem-bers of society over a complete life.”