primary goods

[ˈpraɪ.mer.i ɡʊdz]
nounpl: primary goods
bens primários
1. In political philosophy (especially Rawls's theory of justice), the basic social, political, and economic goods that a just society should distribute fairly to all citizens, including rights, liberties, opportunities, income, and self-respect
Rawls argued that primary goods should be distributed according to principles of justice to ensure fairness.
Rawls argumentou que os bens primários devem ser distribuídos de acordo com princípios de justiça para garantir equidade.
2. In economics, goods derived directly from natural resources with minimal processing, such as raw materials, agricultural products, and minerals
The economy relied heavily on the export of primary goods like oil and timber.
A economia dependia fortemente da exportação de bens primários como petróleo e madeira.
This term is predominantly used in academic, philosophical, and economic contexts. In Brazil and Portugal, it appears frequently in university curricula related to political philosophy and economics. The concept gained prominence through John Rawls's 'A Theory of Justice' (1971) and remains central to debates about social equity and fair distribution. In economic contexts, it often refers to commodity-dependent economies, which is relevant to discussions about development in Latin America and Africa.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
basic goodsessential goodsraw materialscommoditiesnatural resources
Antonyms / Antônimos
secondary goodsmanufactured goodsprocessed goodstertiary goodsservices

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
bens primários
Standard academic and economic terminology used in Brazilian universities and government policy discussions
São Paulo
bens primários; produtos primários
Common in economic and business contexts in the financial center
Portugal
bens primários; bens essenciais
Used in philosophical and economic discourse; occasionally 'bens essenciais' in policy contexts
United States Academic
primary goods
Central concept in Rawlsian justice theory and contemporary political philosophy

Related Words

justicedistributioncommoditiesnatural resourcessocial contracteconomic theoryraw materialsfair allocation

Related Idioms & Phrases

distribution of primary goods
access to primary goods
primary goods index
natural primary goods
social primary goods
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