John Rawls' theory of justice, particularly his concept of the 'original position' and the 'veil of ignorance,' posits an 'unencumbered self' or 'liberal self' that is highly individualistic. In the original position, individuals are imagined as rational, self-interested agents deliberating principles of justice from behind a veil of ignorance, unaware of their specific social status, talents, or even their conception of the good life. This construct implies that the self is prior to its ends and social attachments, capable of choosing principles of justice independently of any particular community or cultural context.

The communitarian critique, articulated by thinkers like Michael Sandel, Alasdair MacIntyre, and Charles Taylor, strongly challenges this individualistic conception of the self. They argue that Rawls' 'liberal self' is an abstract, disembodied, and atomistic individual that does not reflect the reality of human experience. Communitarians contend that the self is fundamentally embedded in a community, shaped by its history, traditions, shared values, and social roles. Our identities, moral obligations, and conceptions of the good are not chosen in isolation but are constituted through our membership in particular communities.

Sandel, for instance, argues that Rawls' 'unencumbered self' cannot account for the 'constitutive attachments' that define who we are – our family, nation, religion, or cultural heritage. These attachments are not merely preferences we can shed behind a veil of ignorance; they are integral to our identity and moral reasoning. By prioritizing individual rights and abstract principles of justice over the common good and shared values, Rawls' theory, according to communitarians, risks undermining the very social bonds and collective identities that make a meaningful life possible.

Furthermore, communitarians argue that a theory of justice derived from such an individualistic premise will inevitably be thin and unable to address the rich moral texture of communal life. They advocate for a politics that recognizes the importance of shared understandings, civic virtues, and the pursuit of a common good, rather than merely protecting individual rights within a neutral framework. In essence, the communitarian critique asserts that Rawls' liberal self is too detached from the social and cultural context that gives human life its meaning and moral depth, leading to a theory of justice that is ultimately incomplete and potentially alienating.