DayalBagh Educational Institute

AGRA

GKC431
BOOK REVIEW OF THE IDEAL OF JUSTICE
BY AMARTYA SEN

SUBMMITTED BY
NAINA GOSWAMI
BA SOCIAL SCIENCE
220411O
The Idea of Justice by Amartya Sen is a comprehensive
exploration of the concept of justice from various
philosophical, economic, and political perspectives. Sen, a
Nobel laureate economist and philosopher, presents a nuanced
and multidimensional understanding of justice, challenging
traditional theories and offering fresh insights into how
societies might achieve a more just and equitable order.
 Sen begins by examining different theories and
approaches to justice, critiquing traditional views such as
utilitarianism and Rawlsian social contract theory. He
argues that these theories often fail to adequately address
real-world injustices and inequalities, advocating for a
more pragmatic and inclusive approach to justice.
 Central to Sen's argument is the idea that justice cannot
be reduced to a single principle or formula. Instead, he
emphasizes the importance of considering multiple
dimensions of justice, including equality, freedom, and
the distribution of resources. Sen introduces his
capabilities approach to justice, which focuses on
enhancing individuals' capabilities to lead the lives they
value. He argues that justice should be evaluated based
on the extent to which it enables people to achieve
valuable functioning and capabilities.
 Sen also explores the role of public reasoning in the
pursuit of justice, advocating for open and inclusive
public discourse where individuals can freely express
their viewpoints and participate in decision-making
processes. He highlights the importance of clarity and
coherence in discussions of justice, emphasizing the need
for transparent criteria and consistent application.
 Throughout the book, Sen engages with a wide range of
philosophical and economic ideas, drawing on insights
from disciplines such as social choice theory and welfare
economics. He also considers the implications of justice
for global issues such as poverty, inequality, and human
rights, arguing for a more expansive and interconnected
approach to justice that takes into account the
experiences and perspectives of people from diverse
backgrounds.
 The book is principally a critique and revision of John
Rawls's basic ideas in A Theory of Justice (1971). Sen
drew extensively upon Rawls's work, mostly composed
while the former was a professor in India. Sen was not a
student of Rawls. Rather, Rawls—who was not an
economist—drew upon the work of Harsanyi and Sen.
Sen dedicated The Idea of Justice to the memory of
Rawls. In summarizing the work, S.R. Osmani writes;
 Do we need a theory of justice at all? if the answer is yes,
how should we develop such a theory that could help
practical people to move towards a more just world?
These are main concerns of Amartya Sen in this book.[1]
 In the book, Sen makes a radical break with the
traditional notion of homo economicus, or 'rational
economic man' as motivated mainly by self-interest. He
points out that children have strong notions of fairness
and acute aversion to manifest injustice. In his
introduction to The Idea of Justice, Sen states that "the
strong perception of manifest injustice applies to adult
human beings as well (as children). What moves us,
reasonably enough, is not the realization that the world
falls short of being completely just – which few of us
 expect – but that there are clearly remediable injustices
around us which we want to eliminate."
 Thus, Sen asserts that Human Beings are as concerned
with eliminating remediable injustice as they are with
pursuing their own self-interest.
 This assertion has a natural corollary. Since human
beings have an innate desire to eliminate injustice where
possible, institutions are not that important. Ideal
institutions are not required to inculcate a sense of
fairness or to persuade people to act fairly or to very
strictly police them so as to prevent transgressive
behaviour. Since ideal institutions aren't necessary and
since people have an innate desire to eliminate
remediable injustice, it follows that 'Public Reason'—i.e.,
open discussion and rational argument—can enable what
Sen calls 'plural grounding', this being an 'overlapping
consensus' (in Rawls's terminology) between people of
different ideologies or belief or value systems such that
people can agree upon comparative evaluations regarding
justice without having to agree about all their values and
beliefs.
 One of Sen's main arguments is that the project of social
justice should not be evaluated in binary terms, as either
achieved or not. Rather, he claims that justice should be
understood as existing to a matter of degree, and should
correspondingly be evaluated along a continuum.
Furthermore, he argues that we do not need a fully
established abstract ideal of justice to evaluate the
fairness of different institutions. He claims that we can
meaningfully compare the level of justice in two
institutions without positing an ideal, transcendental idea
 of justice. He names the opposite position transcendental
institutionalism.
 Sen defends one of Rawls's most fundamental theoretical
concepts: justice as fairness. Although this is a vague
notion fraught with difficulties in any particular case, he
nevertheless views it as one of Rawls's strongest insights
while rejecting the necessity of Rawls's two principles of
justice emerging from the original position thought
experiment in A Theory of Justice.
 He credits Rawls for revitalizing the interest in the ideas
of what justice means and the stress put on fairness,
objectivity, equality of opportunity, removal of poverty,
and freedom. However, Sen, as part of his general
critique of the contractarian tradition, states that ideas
about a perfectly just world do not help redress actual
existing inequality. Sen faults Rawls for overemphasizing
institutions as guarantors of justice and not considering
the effects of human behaviour on the institutions' ability
to maintain a just society. Sen believes Rawls understates
the difficulty in getting everyone in society to adhere to
the norms of a just society. He also claims that Rawls'
position that there be only one possible outcome of the
reflective equilibrium behind the veil of ignorance is
misguided. In contrast to Rawls, Sen believes that
multiple conflicting, yet just, principles may arise and
that this undermines the multistep processes that Rawls
laid out as leading to a perfectly just society.[2]
 Sen also draws heavily on Adam Smith and his first
major work The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759),
arguing that it is Smith's most important and unduly
overlooked work.
Amartya Sen's "The Idea of Justice" is a comprehensive
exploration of the concept of justice from various
philosophical, economic, and political perspectives. Here's a
breakdown of the book by chapter:

Chapter 1: The Nature of the Beast

Sen begins by discussing the fundamental nature of justice,
examining different theories and approaches that have been
proposed over time. He critiques traditional theories of justice,
including utilitarianism and Rawlsian social contract theory,
arguing that they often fail to adequately address real-world
injustices and inequalities. Sen sets the stage for his own
approach to justice, emphasizing the importance of examining
actual outcomes and capabilities rather than focusing solely
on abstract principles or rules.

Chapter 2: The Public Reasoning of Justice

In this chapter, Sen explores the role of public reasoning in the
pursuit of justice. He argues that a just society requires open
and inclusive public discourse, where individuals can freely
express their viewpoints and participate in decision-making
processes. Sen critiques the notion of a perfectly just society
and instead advocates for a more pragmatic approach that
prioritizes the continual improvement of social arrangements
through reasoned public debate.
Chapter 3: The Demands of Justice
Sen delves into the various demands of justice, considering
issues such as equality, freedom, and the distribution of
resources. He argues that justice encompasses a broad range
of concerns and cannot be reduced to a single principle or
formula. Sen emphasizes the importance of addressing
multiple dimensions of injustice simultaneously and
highlights the interconnectedness of different aspects of social
life.
Chapter 4: Justice and Equity
This chapter examines the relationship between justice and
equity, exploring how different conceptions of equity can
inform our understanding of justice. Sen critiques narrow
interpretations of equity that focus solely on equality of
outcomes and argues for a more expansive view that considers
individuals' capabilities and freedoms. He discusses the role
of institutions in promoting equitable outcomes and highlights
the importance of addressing disparities in access to resources
and opportunities.
Chapter 5: Capabilities and Justice
Sen introduces his capabilities approach to justice, which
focuses on enhancing individuals' capabilities to lead the lives
they value. He argues that justice should be evaluated based
on the extent to which it enables people to achieve valuable
functioning and capabilities. Sen discusses the implications of
this approach for policy-making and social evaluation,
emphasizing the importance of considering the diverse needs
and aspirations of individuals.
Chapter 6: Justice and Clarity
In this chapter, Sen explores the importance of clarity and
coherence in discussions of justice. He argues that ambiguity
and vagueness in the concept of justice can lead to confusion
and disagreement. Sen advocates for a more precise and
transparent approach to justice, where the criteria for
evaluating social arrangements are clearly defined and
consistently applied. He discusses the challenges of achieving
clarity in the face of diverse perspectives and conflicting
values.
Chapter 7: Public Reasoning as Comparative Perspective
Sen examines the role of comparative perspective in public
reasoning about justice. He argues that comparing different
societies and arrangements can help us identify injustices and
improve our understanding of what constitutes a just society.
Sen emphasizes the importance of global perspectives in
discussions of justice and highlights the need to consider the
experiences and perspectives of people from diverse
backgrounds.
Chapter 8: The Social Choice Theory Approach to Justice
This chapter explores the application of social choice theory
to questions of justice. Sen discusses the limitations of
traditional welfare economics and argues for a more nuanced
approach that takes into account individual preferences and
capabilities. He critiques narrow interpretations of utility and
argues for a broader conception that considers both subjective
well-being and objective functioning.
Chapter 9: The Idea of Justice
In the final chapter, Sen reflects on the overarching idea of
justice and its implications for human society. He argues that
justice is a complex and multifaceted concept that requires
ongoing inquiry and debate. Sen emphasizes the importance
of practical reasoning and dialogue in the pursuit of justice,
urging individuals and societies to continually strive for
greater fairness and equity.
Conclusion
"The Idea of Justice" by Amartya Sen is a thought-provoking
exploration of the concept of justice from multiple
perspectives. Sen's nuanced approach challenges traditional
theories and offers fresh insights into how we might achieve a
more just and equitable society. By emphasizing the
importance of public reasoning, capabilities, and comparative
perspective, Sen provides a framework for addressing
complex questions of justice in our increasingly
interconnected world.

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