What is social justice?
Social justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges in society. Originally a religious concept, it became more loosely conceptualized as a just organization of social institutions that provides access to economic benefits. It is sometimes called “distributive justice.”
Social justice is a broad term, and there are many variations in how advocates apply the perspective. However, social justice analysis focuses heavily on social determinants such as racial wealth disparities and unequal access to health care. Some applications related to social justice, such as critical race theory, have become battlegrounds in American politics.
Important points
- Social justice refers to the fair distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges in society.
- It emphasizes fairness in how society distributes social resources.
- One of the most famous reflections on social justice is by John Rawls. A Theory of Justice (1971).
- Gender inequality, racism, and LGBTQ+ discrimination are frequent subjects of social justice advocacy.
- Some applications of social justice, such as critical race theory, are mired in America’s culture wars.
understand social justice
The term “social justice” has roots in Christian theology, with its first notable use occurring in the early 1840s. theoretical papers on nature law Written by Luigi Tapparelli. Tapparelli was an Italian Jesuit priest who wrote during the rise of the Christian era. Risorgimentothe Italian nationalist movement of the 19th century, and the debates surrounding it. unification of Italy.
Tapparelli’s version of social justice is simply the application of justice to social problems, arguing that people should do the right thing based on a conceptualization of morality based on natural theology and religion, and for much of its history Justice was a religious concept.
However, not all social justice concepts were religiously oriented. The social impact of the Industrial Revolution expanded the term. Later theorists came to focus on social justice as the moral obligation of people within a society to work for the common good. The most famous examples are discussed below.
Although the term has been historically controversial, it has become more common since the end of the 20th century. Some scholars point to the neoliberal policies of Margaret Thatcher’s and Ronald Reagan’s governments as a possible reason for this change.
old concept
Although this phrase is attributed to Luigi Tapparelli, social justice is based on an old concept. Tapparelli relied heavily on the writings of the Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas (Aquinas relied on the writings of the Macedonian philosopher Aristotle).
One of the most influential explorations of social justice came from the 20th century American philosopher John Rawls.in A Theory of Justice (1971)Rawls called this a theory of social justice and outlined his vision of “justice as equity.”
For Rawls, this meant that people needed to consider the rules for the fair distribution of social goods within a society and the level of inequality that was acceptable within a society. Rawls famously used the concept of the “veil of ignorance.” This is the pretense of ignorance about where people end up in a given society that Rawls thought should be used to order society. The same goes for the following “principle of difference.” that social and economic inequality is acceptable if it benefits society as a whole;
The fundamental element of equity is crucial, especially in access to social resources, also known as “social goods.” It may sound abstract, but how social goods are distributed has a huge impact. Importantly, the “social determinants” of outcomes are thought to be central to whether a system is fair.
For example, in the field of public health, place of birth can affect the health care options available to a person and, as a result, their lifespan. To illustrate this, social justice advocates in the medical field focus on increasing the odds that people are healthy despite the lack of resources they may face for historical or economic reasons. maybe.
Main principles of social justice
Although there is no single definition of social justice, most approaches share broad goals of inclusion and equity. To achieve these goals, they establish a set of ethical principles for a just society.
These principles may include:
access
Equal access to social goods is one of the most fundamental principles of social justice. This means that society’s resources should be equally available to everyone. For example, many social justice theorists believe that people should have equal access to education, health care, and employment opportunities. Public servants can uphold this principle by ensuring that everyone has access to these resources.
capital
Equity is the principle that people should be given the same opportunities to succeed despite past injustices and systemic discrimination. This could mean that resources are distributed in a way that responds to the specific needs of disadvantaged communities and people.
Diversity
Diversity is the principle that government and business leaders should broadly represent the communities they serve. This means not only that women and people of color should be in positions of power, but that minority communities should be equally represented in public institutions. At the policy level, this principle may involve non-discrimination and the provision of resources in multiple languages.
Participation
Participation is the principle that everyone in a community should have a say in making important decisions. In many societies, public policy is determined by a powerful few without consulting the communities they represent. This can have the unintended effect of excluding large sections of the community.
Public policy makers can address this shortcoming by consulting with advocates for minority communities and considering their needs.
human rights
The final principle of social justice, and perhaps the most fundamental, is human rights. In addition to political rights such as freedom of conscience, freedom from police abuse and respect for reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are also required.
Career in social justice
The most common jobs related to social justice are those related to public administration and social work. This is because these professions work directly to provide access to social and government resources. Those working in these professions need to be aware of the explicit and implicit biases that can reduce access to these resources for some members of society.
However, it is possible to advocate for social justice in other areas as well. For example, lawyers help ensure fair access to the justice system by representing clients who have traditionally been underserved by existing institutions, and lobbyists work to address injustice in their communities. You can promote the enactment of legislation. Other social justice-oriented professions include mental health workers, victim advocates, and community developers.
Priority areas
Social justice aims to ensure equality and fairness for all people, but it can focus on groups that have been victims of historical oppression. Areas of focus for social justice workers include:
racial equality
Racial equality is one of the most common issues in social justice, and many countries have a history of discrimination and oppression against ethnic minorities and racial groups. Members of these groups may be economically disadvantaged or suffer from unequal access to education, health services, and other vital institutions.
Gender equality
Almost every country suffers from some form of gender inequality, whether it’s in the form of wage gaps, glass ceilings, or other forms of gender-based discrimination. Additionally, women are more likely to experience violence and sexual assault. Or face threats to reproductive rights. Gender equality also impacts other rights, such as racial equality. Many social justice advocates consider this an important aspect of social reform.
LGBTQ+ equality
In the 20th century, LGBTQ+ rights emerged as another issue for social justice advocates. Members of the LGBTQ+ community face high levels of violence and discrimination and may be denied access to health care and employment.
fairness and equality
Although equality and fairness both relate to the distribution of social goods and privileges within a society, they have taken on slightly different meanings in conversations around social justice. Equality in this context means that people are given the same access to opportunities, regardless of any historical or other forms of injustice that may change the extent to which someone has access to those opportunities. . In contrast, equity seeks to compensate for an unbalanced social system by providing resources to produce equal outcomes.
While most critics of social justice focus on the introduction of equity in social justice, proponents of the concept argue that equity is an essential part of ensuring a just society. suggests that. For example, Paula Braveman, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, commented that “health equity” and social justice in health are interchangeable. She alludes to social justice goals in health care.[is that] No one is denied the possibility of good health just because they belong to a historically economically or socially disadvantaged group. ”
social justice in law
In law, social justice perspectives have become a touchpoint in America’s culture wars. Critical race theory (CRT), an approach to law that actively seeks to explain how racial bias affects legal outcomes, has attracted particular outcry.
The term was used in American legal theories such as Kimberly Crenshaw’s to analyze how racism is promoted by American legal structures, even in the absence of racists in some cases. Developed by the house. At the heart of CRT is the notion that race is untested by science and that the law maintains an unjust order.
critic
Critics of critical race theory argue that it is simply a way of condoning discrimination. According to the Brookings Institution, a public policy think tank, opponents of critical race theory focus on the assertion that American institutions are racist, rather than attempting a broader analysis of their effects on white individuals. They say people tend to see it as a way to accuse people of being racist. Institutional evaluation of social outcomes.
Opposition to CRT has become increasingly active in state legislatures across the United States, with many state legislatures banning CRT instruction in elementary and middle schools. To date, 36 states have moved to enact legislation to ban racial bias education in the United States, according to a state legislative tracker produced by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit newsroom focused on the American education system. , 17 states are moving to expand its teachings.
In 2020, President Donald Trump also banned federal contracts from providing diversity and equity training, a move known as an “equity gag order.” The executive order conflated diversity training and CRT, calling both “divisive.” This ban was lifted in 2021.
What do we mean by social justice?
Social justice is the belief that society’s social benefits and privileges should be distributed equitably.
Why is social justice important?
Advocates argue that social justice is worth pursuing because it seeks to protect people from poverty caused by unfair prejudice and provide everyone with the necessities of a good life.
How does social justice relate to equity?
The concept of fairness focuses on outcomes. that social determinants have a profound impact on how people’s lives turn out, and that the fabric of a truly just society visibly harms socially and economically disadvantaged groups. is related to the belief that it will explain.
conclusion
Social justice is a political and philosophical movement that seeks to further divide resources and opportunities. Social justice advocates want to establish a more just and equal society by addressing historical injustices and directing resources to underserved communities.