Justice theory

Report outline:

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Proponent of Concept of Justice Applications of

Justice Theory Theory Justice Theory

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 1.
Proponent of justice theory

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John Rawls
- the major proponent of Justice Theory

- American political and ethical philosopher

- Best known for his defense of egalitarian

liberalism in his major work,
A Theory of Justice (1971)

- He is widely considered the most important

political philosopher of the 20th century

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John Rawls
- He earned Ph.D in Moral Philosophy in Princeton
University in 1950

- He taught at Princeton University, Cornell

University, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, and Harvard University

- He defends a conception of “justice as fairness” as

opposed to Utillitarianism because this doctrine

considers greater happiness of majority while
neglecting the rights and interests of minority
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 2.
concept of justice theory

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 “
By the definition of Merriam-Webster:

JUSTICE

The maintenance or administration of what is

just especially by the impartial adjustment of
conflicting claims or the assignment of merited
rewards or punishment.

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 “
By the definition of John Rawls:

JUSTICE

It is the first virtue of social institutions.

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 “
By the definition of Merriam-Webster:

FAIRNESS

The quality or state of being fair and impartial

without favoritism toward one side or another.

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 Distributive
Justice as
Justice
Fairness

CONCEPTS
OF JUSTICE
THEORY

State and
Evaluation
Citizens
of Rawls’
Responsibilit
Principles
y

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JUSTICE AS
FAIRNESS

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 Justice as fairness
▣ Rawls used the elements of both Kantian and utilitarianism in
describing a method for the moral evaluation of social and
political institutions

▣ He called this concept of social justice as ‘Justice as Fairness’

▣ In this concept, he proposed two principles of social justice – the

“Liberty Principle”, and “Fair Equality of Opportunity and the
Difference Principle”

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 “
Rawls’ First Principle:
THE LIBERTY PRINCIPLE

Each person has the same and indefeasible

(permanent) claim to a fully adequate scheme
of equal basic liberties, which scheme is
compatible with the same scheme of liberties of
all”.

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 “
Rawls’ Second Principle:
FAIR EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND THE
DIFFERENCE PRINCIPLE

Social and economic equalities are to satisfy

two conditions (1) first, they are to be attached
to offices and positions open to all under
conditions of fair equality of opportunity; (2)
second, they are to be the greater benefit of the
least-advantaged members of society (the
difference principle).

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 Rawls’ thought experiment
▣ This experiment is a hypothetical version of the social contract

▣ Rawls himself called it “Original Position”

▣ It was not a real assemble of real people, negotiating over a

contract. Instead, it was just an imagined gathering held under
strict conditions that allowed persons to deliberate, only by
employing their reason and logic. Their mission was to assess
principles of social justice and select the best ones. Their
decision could be compulsory on their society forever.

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 Rawls’ thought experiment
▣ Rawls contended that only under a ‘veil of ignorance’ could
people reach a fair and impartial contract as true equal not
prejudiced by their place in society.

▣ Rawls set up his ‘thought experiment’ with many given systems

of social justice principles from which the imaginary participants
would select for their own society.

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 Justice theory based on thought experiment:

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Original position Veil of ignorance Unanimity of

acceptance of
original position

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 Average utility
▣ Rawls was mostly interested to find out what choice the group
would make between his own ‘Justice as Fairness’ concept and
another called ‘Average Utility.’

▣ This notion of justice called for maximizing the average wealth of

the people.

▣ Utilizing reason and logic, the fictional individuals would first have
to resolve what most persons in most societies want. Rational
human being will pick four things called ‘primary goods.’

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 Opportunitie
Wealth and s for
income advanceme
nt

Primary
Goods

Rights and
Self-respect
liberties

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 Maximum-minimum or ‘maximin’ rule
▣ On how wealth and income should be distributed in a just society,
Rawls contended that the imaginary group members would adopt
what philosophers call the ‘maximum-minimum or maximin’ rule.

▣ Under this rule, the best is choice is the highest minimum.

▣ This manifest the flaw of the “Average Utility” social justice system.

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 Let us take this as an example:

Average Wage per Hour Legal Minimum Wage

SOCIETY A $20.00 $7.00

SOCIETY B $30.00 $1.00

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 Justice as fairness
▣ Rawls also held that the person in his experiment would
logically select principles of social justice that maximized the
benefits for the ‘least advantaged.’

▣ Rawls believed that he had demonstrated that his ‘Justice as

Fairness’ principles, titled toward the ‘least advantaged’, were
the best for forming or restructuring institutions for a just
society.

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EVALUATION OF RAWLS’
PRINCIPLES

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 Evaluation of rawls’ principles
2.
1. 3.
If not downright
They do no allow unacceptable, Rawls himself
ample tolerance Rawls’ Difference admitted that
for various Principle, the idea his concept for a
religious and that the greatest just society was
intensely held benefit must go to highly idealized.
beliefs. the least
advantaged.

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DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

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 “
By the definition of Social Psychology:

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

It is defined as perceived fairness of how

rewards and costs are shared by, or distributed
across, group members.

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 Distributive justice
▣ Rawls’ ‘Justice as Fairness’ principles is an example of a social
justice concept called distributive justice.

▣ This concept basically concerns the naure of a socially just

allocation of goods in a society.

▣ It includes the available quantities of goods, the process by

which goods are distributed, and the subsequent allocation of
the goods to society members.

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 distributive norms
Distributive justice is said to have occurred if rewards and costs are allocated
according to the designated distributive norms of the group.

Equity responsibility

TYPES OF
DISTRIBUTIVE
NORMS

Equality need

power

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 Common types of distributive norms
▣ Equity. Members’outcomes should be based upon their inputs.
▣ Equality. Regardless of their inputs, all members should be given an
equal share of the rewards or costs.
▣ Power. Those with more authority, status, or control over the group
should receive more than those in lower level positions.
▣ Need. Those in greates needs should be provided with resources
needed to meet those needs.
▣ Responsibility. Group members who have the most should share
their resources with those who have less.

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Various socio-economic-political theories have differentiated,
but somewhat related, view of distributed justice:

State and
Laissez-faire
Egalitarianism democratic
Capitalism
Socialism

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 “
BY EGALITARIANISM:

It is a set of closely related socio-economic-

political theories that without exemption
promote the proposition that all society
members ought to have exactly amount of
resources.

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 “
BY LAISSEZ-FAIRE CAPITALISM:

Distributive justice is when people, business,

and corporations perform based on their
individual self-interest for their own benefit. The
principal role is to allow a free and fair market
system, as well as to protect persons, business
and corporations from taking the benefits of
their actions appropriated by others.

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 “
BY STATE SOCIALISM:

Distributive justice is a system where the

government or a central authority controls the
production of goods and services.

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 “
BY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM:

Distributive justice has a system of social

insurance to help disadvantaged persons. The
system incorporates free-market principles in
producing goods and services with general
principles about compassion and concern for
others.

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STATE AND CITIZENS
RESPONSIBILITY

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 taxation
▣ Taxation is a means by which the state and its citizen
accomplish their responsibilities to each other.

▣ Taxation is a means by which states or governments finance

their expenditure, basically and ideally for constituents, by
imposing charges on them and corporate enities.

▣ Government expenditures fundamentally involve social welfare

programs for citizens.

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 Inclusive growth
▣ Taxation and social welfare programs are related to another
concept called inclusice growth.

▣ Inclusive growth is “economic growth that creates opportunity

for all segments of the population and distributes the dividends
of increased prosperity, both in monetary and non-monetary
terms, fairly across society.”

▣ Some economists argue that democratic socialism, not

capitalism, could really result into inclusive growth.
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 3.
APPLICATIONS of justice theory

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 1. BUSINESS ETHICS

Justice Theory may provide a seamless way of engaging in Corporate

Social Responsibility (CSR) outwardly and Employee Develoment (ED)
inwardly.
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 2. slavery

For Justice Theory, slavery is wrong under all situations, regardless of

any utility calculations, for it does not respect the fundamental rights
and liberties of all persons.
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End of presentation

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 Group 6 presenters

▣ Balcueba, Patricia
▣ Bucsit, Stephen Paul
▣ Paulino, Joshua
▣ Taha, Ridzqan
▣ Temple, Kayzel
▣ Torreliza, Ellain

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