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Justice Perspectives Summary
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1
Question
Define justice in a general sense as used in this chapter.
Page 1
Answer
Justice is a fundamental social, ethical, and moral principle concerned with how benefits and burdens are allocated in society and how people are treated. It includes rules and institutions that determine what people deserve, how society responds to wrongdoing, and how to ensure fairness in social arrangements.
2
Question
What are the four basic kinds of justice identified in the chapter?
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Answer
The four basic kinds of justice are distributive justice, retributive justice, compensatory justice, and procedural justice.
3
Question
What is distributive justice?
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Answer
Distributive justice refers to the fair distribution or allocation of goods, resources, and burdens in a society. A fair distribution is one in which persons involved receive what they deserve, often described by theories like egalitarianism, capitalist (contribution-based) justice, and socialist (needs-based) justice.
4
Question
Define egalitarianism in the context of distributive justice.
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Answer
Egalitarianism claims that a distribution is fair if every member of a group receives an equal share. On the state level it includes political egalitarianism (equal basic legal rights) and economic egalitarianism (equal access to socioeconomic goods needed for a decent life).
5
Question
What is political egalitarianism?
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Answer
Political egalitarianism is the view that all citizens should enjoy the same basic legal rights guaranteed by the state, such as suffrage, education, and due process, regardless of skin color or ethnicity.
6
Question
What is economic egalitarianism?
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Answer
Economic egalitarianism claims all citizens should enjoy the same basic socioeconomic goods or resources necessary to live a decent life (e.g., access to healthcare, shelter, clothing, and income), typically guaranteed or secured by the state.
7
Question
What is capitalist (contribution-based) justice?
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Answer
Capitalist justice holds that benefits should be distributed according to the degree of each person's contribution to society. The greater a person's contribution, the greater their share in distribution. This view aligns with free market principles where monetary value is set by market forces.
8
Question
Define socialist (needs-based) justice and its guiding slogan.
Page 3
Answer
Socialist or needs-based justice claims distributions are fair when each person receives goods in proportion to their needs. The guiding slogan often cited is Karl Marx's: 'From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.'
9
Question
How does socialist justice justify redistributing resources?
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Answer
Socialist justice criticizes capitalism for worsening natural inequalities and argues redistribution balances these inequalities by allocating work and the proceeds of work according to people’s natural talents and their needs, giving greater shares to those with greater needs.
10
Question
What is Rawls' concept of 'justice as fairness' in brief?
Page 3
Answer
John Rawls' 'justice as fairness' claims a distribution among members is fair if the governing principles would be chosen by those members under fair conditions (the original position). Rawls emphasizes social institutions and defines justice by two principles: the Liberty Principle and the Difference Principle.
11
Question
State Rawls' Liberty Principle.
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Answer
Liberty Principle: Each person participating in a practice (or affected by it) has an equal right to the most extensive basic liberties compatible with a like liberty for all.
12
Question
State Rawls' Difference Principle (summary).
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Answer
Difference Principle: Social and economic inequalities are justified only if they (1) are reasonably expected to benefit the least advantaged and (2) are attached to positions and offices open to all under fair equality of opportunity.
13
Question
Who are the 'least advantaged' according to Rawls and what are primary goods?
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Answer
The 'least advantaged' are those with the lowest expectations for or access to 'primary goods' — the basic things free and equal persons need as citizens. Rawls' five primary goods: (1) basic rights and liberties (e.g., freedom of thought, conscience), (2) freedom of movement and choice of occupation, (3) powers and prerogatives of offices and positions of responsibility, (4) income and wealth, and (5) social bases for self-respect.
14
Question
Explain Rawls' 'original position' and the 'veil of ignorance'.
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Answer
The original position is a hypothetical situation where rational, self-interested individuals choose principles of justice without knowing their natural advantages, social status, or personal values. The veil of ignorance prevents them from knowing particular characteristics of their lives, ensuring impartial choice of fair principles.
15
Question
What is libertarian (entitlement) justice according to Nozick?
Page 4
Answer
Libertarian or entitlement theory claims distributions are fair when no moral rights were violated in the acquisition or transfer of property and when rectification occurs for past injustices. Nozick argues people are entitled to holdings they acquired legitimately and that we cannot force them to give up property to satisfy some ideal end-result.
16
Question
Define retributive justice.
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Answer
Retributive justice is the view that those who commit wrongful acts deserve proportionate punishment. It is backward-looking, focused on merit and desert, holding that punishment restores balance by imposing penalties on wrongdoers so they receive their 'just deserts.'
17
Question
List three central principles often associated with retributive justice.
Page 5
Answer
1) Wrongdoers who commit serious wrongful acts morally deserve to suffer proportionate punishment. 2) Punishment can be intrinsically morally good when legitimately administered. 3) It is morally impermissible to punish the innocent or to inflict disproportionate punishments on wrongdoers.
18
Question
How does Immanuel Kant justify retributive punishment?
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Answer
Kant uses a debt metaphor: citizens benefit from the rule of law and owe reciprocal restraint; someone who violates the rules and unfairly gains benefits is a 'free rider' and thus owes a debt. Punishment is justified as making the wrongdoer pay that debt and restoring fairness among citizens.
19
Question
What is restorative justice?
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Answer
Restorative justice emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior to people, relationships, and the community. It prioritizes repair, encounter (dialogue between parties), and transformation, seeking cooperative processes that allow stakeholders to agree on how to make amends and reintegrate.
20
Question
Name three foundational principles of restorative justice.
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Answer
1) Crime causes harm and justice should focus on repairing that harm. 2) The people most affected by the crime should be able to participate in its resolution. 3) The government’s responsibility is to maintain order while the community’s responsibility is to build peace.
21
Question
If restorative justice were a building, what are its four corner posts?
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Answer
The four corner posts are: (1) Inclusion of all parties, (2) Encountering the other side, (3) Making amends for the harm, and (4) Reintegration of the parties into their communities.
22
Question
What is procedural justice?
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Answer
Procedural justice concerns making and implementing decisions according to fair processes. People feel affirmed when procedures treat them with respect and dignity, and fair procedures increase acceptance of outcomes even when people disagree with the result.
23
Question
List key features that make procedures fair under procedural justice.
Page 6
Answer
Key features: (1) Consistency — like cases are treated alike; (2) Impartiality and neutrality — decision-makers must be unbiased; (3) Voice and representation — those affected should have opportunity to participate; (4) Transparency — decisions reached through open procedures without secrecy.
24
Question
Why might some critics say procedural justice is insufficient?
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Answer
Some critics argue that fair procedures do not guarantee fair outcomes; reaching fair outcomes can be more important than implementing fair processes. Others argue that fair procedures are central because they are likely to translate into fair outcomes.
25
Question
Summarize the chapter's synthesis about different justice perspectives.
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Answer
The chapter concludes that justice and fairness are universally sought but interpreted differently: egalitarians favor equal wealth distribution; capitalists emphasize individual rights and market-based allocation; socialists stress distribution based on contribution and needs; Rawlsian theory focuses on fairness of social institutions via Liberty and Difference principles to level the field for the least advantaged.