Social Justice

Justice concerns our life in society in the way in which public life is ordered and the principles according to which social goods and social duties are distributed among different members of society. 

Different Interpretation of Justice

• Ancient India: Dharma was considered to be associated with justice. Following Dharma and hence a just social order was of the prime duties of the King
• China: Similar to India, here Confucius advocated the maintenance of justice by kings who would reward the right conduct and punish the wrongdoers
• Athens (Greece, 4 B.C.): The Republic by Plato threw light on the concept of Justice. Plato examined the concerns regarding justice via dialogue with Socrates, Glaucon and Adeimantus. Socrates stressed on the need to understand what justice actually is before deciding upon why justice and being just is important for the society

Contemporary Times

• The understanding of what is justice is closely linked to understanding of what is due to each person as a human being
• Dignity possessed by Human Beings is what Immnuel Kant, a German Philosopher propagated
• All persons can have the fair opportunity to develop their skills and talents along with the motivation to pursue the goals of their choice, only when they are granted with dignity which is due to them
• All individuals shall be given equal consideration with what is due in order to provide them with justice

Principles of Justice

Equal Treatment for Equals: 

• Principle of treating equals equally: As human beings certain attributes are shared by all individuals. So equal treatment and equal rights are deserved by all individuals

• It is tough to decide what is due to whom and to what extent
• Some of the important rights which are granted in most liberal democracies today include civil rights such as the rights of life, liberty, political rights like the right to vote, which enable people to participate in political processes, and certain social rights which would include the right to enjoy equal opportunities with other members of the society

• No discrimination: On grounds of class, caste, race or gender. People should be judged on the basis of their work and actions and not on the basis of the group to which they belong

Proportionate Justice: 

• There could be circumstances where treating everybody equally would be unjust 
• It would be fair and just to reward different kinds of work differently if you take into account factors such as the effort required, the skills required, the possible dangers involved in that work, etc
• We have instances where despite considering various factors involved in a certain work, a proportionate wage is not paid. For example, miners or people who are sometimes dangerous may not always get a reward which is just if we compare it to what some others in society may be earning
• Hence, both the principles – the Principle of Proportionality and Principle of Equal Treatment must be balanced in order to create a just society

Recognition of Special Needs: 

• Promoting Social Justice: Special needs of people must be taken into consideration by the Society while giving away rewards or assigning duties
• In terms of their basic status and rights, people must be treated equally members of the society so that justice can be done in the society
• Proportionate Justice: It does not necessarily contradict the standard of equivalent treatment to such an extent in light of the fact that the rule of treating rises to similarly could infer that individuals can be treated in an exceptional way who are not at standard with different individuals in the public in specific viewpoints
• People having some exceptional necessities or enduring certain inabilities could be viewed as inconsistent in a few specific respects and deserve a different treatment than the rest
• Unequal and non-egalitarian society: If people who enjoy very different standards of living and opportunities are treated equally in all respects even with those who have been deprived of even the basic minimum needs to live a healthy and productive life.

Conclusion

Justice is concerned with how we live in society, with how public life is organised and the principles by which social goods and responsibilities are distributed among society’s various members. By ensuring that that one has equal access to justice whether they are female or person with disabilities, our nation can progress and ensure public safety and have each and every one’s voice heard