Rawls orders the principles of justice lexically, as follows: 1, 2b, 2a. The "greatest equal liberty principle" takes priority, followed by the "equal opportunity principle" and finally the "difference principle". The first principle must be satisfied before 2b, and 2b must be satisfied before 2a. As Rawls states: "A principle does not come into play until those previous to it are either fully met or do not apply." Therefore, the equal basic liberties protected in the first principle cannot be traded or sacrificed for greater social advantages (granted by 2(b)) or greater economic advantages (granted by 2a).