, SUS1501 Assignment 4 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester
1 2026 - DUE 2 April 2026; 100% Correct solutions and
explanations.
SUS1501 – Assessment 4: Fair’s Fair
1. Is this ok? – Analysis Using John Rawls’ Principles
The scenario presented in this assessment highlights a clear inequality.
On one hand, Patrice Motsepe, a South African mining billionaire, has
accumulated wealth exceeding US$4.2 billion. On the other hand,
millions of South Africans live below the food poverty line, struggling
to meet their basic nutritional and health needs.
The mining industry in South Africa has a long history of exploiting
workers, beginning in the colonial era under figures such as Cecil John
Rhodes, continuing through apartheid-era labor practices, and extending
into the present. The Marikana Massacre of 2012 is a stark example:
workers striking for fair wages were met with lethal force, resulting in
34 deaths and many injuries. This context raises the central ethical
question: “Is this ok?”
To address this question, John Rawls’ principles of justice can be
applied in order.
1.1 First Principle: Equal Basic Liberties
Rawls asserts that each person should have an equal right to the most
extensive set of basic liberties compatible with similar liberties for all.
In this scenario, Motsepe enjoys extensive economic freedoms and legal
protections that allow him to amass wealth. Meanwhile, many South
Africans are denied access to basic liberties, including adequate food,
safe housing, healthcare, and quality education. For instance, many
1 2026 - DUE 2 April 2026; 100% Correct solutions and
explanations.
SUS1501 – Assessment 4: Fair’s Fair
1. Is this ok? – Analysis Using John Rawls’ Principles
The scenario presented in this assessment highlights a clear inequality.
On one hand, Patrice Motsepe, a South African mining billionaire, has
accumulated wealth exceeding US$4.2 billion. On the other hand,
millions of South Africans live below the food poverty line, struggling
to meet their basic nutritional and health needs.
The mining industry in South Africa has a long history of exploiting
workers, beginning in the colonial era under figures such as Cecil John
Rhodes, continuing through apartheid-era labor practices, and extending
into the present. The Marikana Massacre of 2012 is a stark example:
workers striking for fair wages were met with lethal force, resulting in
34 deaths and many injuries. This context raises the central ethical
question: “Is this ok?”
To address this question, John Rawls’ principles of justice can be
applied in order.
1.1 First Principle: Equal Basic Liberties
Rawls asserts that each person should have an equal right to the most
extensive set of basic liberties compatible with similar liberties for all.
In this scenario, Motsepe enjoys extensive economic freedoms and legal
protections that allow him to amass wealth. Meanwhile, many South
Africans are denied access to basic liberties, including adequate food,
safe housing, healthcare, and quality education. For instance, many
