Justice

Justice is a concept of moral rightness based ethics, rationality, law, natural

law, religion, equity and fairness, as well as the administration of the law,
taking into account the inalienable and inborn rights of all human beings and
citizens, the right of all people and individuals to equal protection before the
law of their civil rights, without discrimination on the basis of race, gender,
sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, ethnicity, religion,
disability, age, wealth, or other characteristics, and is further regarded as
being inclusive of social justice.

10 Reasons Why Social Justice Is Important

In recent years, the term “social justice” has become just as prominent as “human
rights.” What is social justice exactly? It’s essentially a concept of fairness within a
society. That applies to fairness in wealth, opportunities, basic needs, and more. It’s
expanded over the decades, and now you’ll hear the term in discussions about gender,
race, and the environment. We have compiled 10 reasons why everyone should care
about social justice:

When it comes to what is fair, everyone is owed basic things. Access to food, shelter,
and clean water are the big three. In certain societies, these are often taken for granted
among the majority of the population, but there are always gaps. Think of Flint,
Michigan, where clean water not poisoned by lead is not a given. Food deserts exist all
over America, while the homeless crisis has reached a critical point in states like
Oregon and Washington. Social justice extends to other countries, as well, where basic
needs are just as needed, but not supplied. By speaking up in support of essentials,
people are working for social justice.

It ensures everyone gets adequate healthcare

The importance of good health can’t be overstated. It’s a matter of life and death. A
society’s healthcare system determines who gets what services, and how much they
have to sacrifice to get the care they need. When people strive for social justice in
healthcare, they are working for better and more affordable insurance plans, access to
medication, and more.

It protects people with disabilities

Disability rights have been ignored and neglected for many years, but with social justice
on the rise, people are finally getting a voice. Those with both visible and invisible
disabilities (like mental illness) are often discriminated against in their workplace, in
healthcare, and more. For social justice to truly be justice for all, disability rights need to
be included.

It protects people from religion-based discrimination

A person’s religion is a central part of them, and freedom from religious discrimination
falls right into the lap of social justice. Many countries have laws that discourage
religious freedom, while others fail to enforce protections. Social justice advocates want
all religions to be free and safe, including a person’s right to not follow any religion.

It protects people from ageism

As people get older, they are often discriminated against simply because of their age.
They might get fired from their job in favor of someone younger, or get treated with
disrespect in their daily lives. Ageism, as a form of discrimination, falls under the scope
of social justice.

It protects people from sexuality-based discrimination

Members of the LGBTQIA community are frequently targeted for discrimination in every
area of their daily lives. A huge part of social justice focuses on addressing this,
because it costs people their ability to work, love, and even live, in many tragic cases.
For a society to be considered “just,” it must treat LGBTQIA people with fairness.

It defends people from racism

Discrimination based on race is another huge issue in most societies. It can make it
hard for people to find work, live in peace, marry who they want, and more. A major trait
of social justice is that people of every race can live well and have equal opportunities.
It helps promote equality between genders

It seems like discrimination based on gender is one of the oldest forms of injustice
around the world. Women and girls are the most oppressed group in history, and it gets
worse for them if they are also members of another oppressed population, like a certain
race or religion. Social justice strives to bridge the gap and empower women no matter
where they are.
It helps promote economic equality

The gap between the rich and the poor seems like it’s always expanding. The fact that
some people struggle to buy enough food for their children while others get millions of
dollars in a severance package is simply not fair. Equality doesn’t mean that everyone is
rich, but it should mean that everyone is able to meet their basic needs and live without
being afraid that one setback could put them on the streets. Social justice is about
securing everyone’s economic stability.

It helps improve educational opportunities for kids

A good education is crucial to ending cycles of poverty and giving everyone the

opportunity to fulfill their dreams. However, countless people are unable to get an
adequate education simply because of where they live or because they’re facing other
discrimination. Social justice wants everyone to be able to learn in a safe place that’s
encouraging and that provides equal opportunities. All of society benefits when children
get educated.

Four Types of Justice

 

There are four types of justice that people can seek when they have been wronged.

Distributive justice
Distributive justice, also known as economic justice, is about fairness in what people receive,
from goods to attention. Its roots are in social order and it is at the roots of socialism, where
equality is a fundamental principle.
If people do not think that they are getting their fair share of something, they will seek first to
gain what they believe they deserve. They may well also seek other forms of justice.

Procedural justice
The principle of fairness is also found in the idea of fair play (as opposed to the fair share  of
distributive justice).
If people believe that a fair process was used in deciding what it to be distributed, then they
may well accept an imbalance in what they receive in comparison to others. If they see both
procedural and distributive injustice, they will likely seek restorative and/or retributive justice.
 Restorative justice
The first thing that the betrayed person may seek from the betrayer is some form of restitution,
putting things back as they should be.
The simplest form of restitution is a straightforward apology. Restoration means putting things
back as they were, so it may include some act of contrition to demonstrate one is truly sorry.
This may include action and even extra payment to the offended party.
Restorative justice is also known as corrective justice.

Retributive justice
Retributive justice works on the principle of punishment, although what constitutes fair and
proportional punishment is widely debated. While the intent may be to dissuade the perpetrator
or others from future wrong-doing, the re-offending rate of many criminals indicates the
limited success of this approach.
Punishment in practice is more about the satisfaction of victims and those who care about
them. This strays into the realm of revenge, which can be many times more severe than
reparation as the hurt party seeks to make the other person suffer in return. In such cases
'justice' is typically defined emotionally rather that with intent for fairness or prevention.

So what?
If you have been wronged, consider carefully what kind of justice you are really seeking.
If you are the wrong-doer and others are seeking justice against you, seek first to ensure
distributive justice.
A question may be asked why people are put in prison. If it is to prevent them re-offending, then it is
restorative justice. If it is to punish them, then it is retributive justice. Sadly, this have proven a poor
method of prevention.

Basic principles of social justice

 Access (greater equality of access to goods and services)
 Equity (overcoming unfairness caused by unequal access to
economic resources and power)
 Rights (equal effective legal, industrial and political rights)
 Participation (expanded opportunities for real participation in the decisions
which govern their lives).