Lesson 13

Justice and Fairness:

Promoting Common Good
Prepared by:

Christian L. Nievera, LPT, MAT

Subject Instructor
A. THE NATURE
OF THE THEORY
 JOHN RAWLS
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.
INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
 Rawls rejects utilitarianism and offers a number of
arguments against such a theory.
 Utilitarianism thinking cannot absolutely exclude systems
such as slavery or racial segregation as there is nothing in
the moral theory to dismiss them from consideration.
 There are two basic principles of social justice - The first
and the second principle.
The first principle is concerned with political institutions
and the second with social and economic institution and
their relationship to each other.
There are two conditions that social and economic
inequalities satisfy.
Rawls refer to the best jobs in private business and
public employment by the term 'offices and
positions'.
 Society should eradicate discrimination and afford
everybody easy access to education.
 Rawls’ theory states that: all differences in wealth
and income, all social and economic inequalities
should work for the good of the least favored.
 Rawls’ argued that unless institutions such as the
constitution, economy and educational system
functioned in a just way for all, social justice would
not truly exist in a society.
 To the value of impartiality, Rawls added a condition
to assure that the choice of social justice principles
would truly be unbiased.
 Rawls contented that in the distribution of wealth
and income in a just society, the members should
adopt what philosophers call maximum-maximum or
“maximum rule”.
 RAWLS’ JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
Rawls (1921-2002) was considered the most
important political philosopher of the 20" century. He
maintains that slavery is wrong under all situations,
regardless of any utility calculations, for it does not
respect the fundamental rights and liberties of all
persons. Slavery is wrong because it is unproductive or
inefficient, but because it is unjust, for it does not
consider individual rights inviolable.
 Rawls' two principles of justice from his classic
work A Theory of Justice, his last version published in
2001:

• Rawls' First Principle - The Liberty Principle

- concerns political institutions “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 for all."
• Rawls Second Principle - consisted of 'fair
equality of opportunity' and the Difference Principle'-
concerns social and economic institutions: "Social and
economic inequalities are to satisfy two conditions (1)
they are to be attached to offices and positions open
to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity;
and (2) they are to be to the greatest benefit of the
least-advantaged members of society (the 'Difference
Principle')."
B. DISTRIBUTIVE
JUSTICE
 Is a concept in ethics that focuses on the fair
allocation of resources and benefits among all
members of a society? It aims to ensure that everyone
gets their fair share of goods, opportunities, and
responsibilities.
This concept basically concerns the nature of a
socially just allocation of Goods in a society. If
incidental inequalities in outcome do not rise, then
principles of distributive justice is said to exist in a
society. Distributive justice includes the quantities of
goods, the process by which goods are distributed, and
the subsequent allocation of the goods to society
members.
People usually turn to the distributive
norms of their group to determine whether
distributive justice has occurred. A norm is the
standard behavior that is required, desired, or
designated as normal within a specific group.
Distributive justice is said to have occurred if
rewards and costs are allocated according to the
designated distributive norm of the group.
Distributive Justice: Everyone has an
equal chance, promoting fairness and
equality.

Non-Distributive Justice: Only a specific

group benefits, potentially leading to
feelings of unfairness among others.
The following are the
common types of
distributive norms:
 EQUITY
Members' outcomes should
be based upon their inputs.
Therefore, an individual who has
invested a large amount of input
(e.g. time, money, and energy)
should receive more from the group
than someone who has contributed
very little. Members of large groups
prefer to base allocations of
rewards and costs on equity.
 EQUALITY
Regardless of their
inputs, all group members
should be given an equal share
of the reward/costs. Equally
supports that someone who
contributes 20% of the group's
resources should receive as
much as someone who
contributes 60%.
 POWER
Those with more
authority, status, or
control over the group
should receive more
than those in lower
level positions.
 NEED
Those in greatest
needs should be provided
with resources needed to
meet those needs. These
individuals should be given
more resources than those
who already possess them,
regardless of their input.
RESPONSIBILITY
Group members
who have the most
should share their
resources with those
who have less.
C.EGALITARIAN,
CAPITALIST, AND
SOCIALIST
Egalitarian
Egalitarian is a set of closely related
socio-economic-political theories that
without exemption promote the proposition
that all society members ought to have
exactly equal amount of resources.
 An egalitarian is a person who
believes in the equality of all people, and
an egalitarian society gives everyone
equal rights. This is a word that means
something close to equality and has to do
with fairness
Capitalist
Leissez-faire capitalist distributive justice is
when people, businesses, and corporations perform
based on their individual self-interest for their own
benefit. The principal role of government is to allow a
free and fair market system, as well as to protect
persons, businesses, and corporations from taking the
benefits of their actions appropriated by others.
 A person who has capital especially
invested in business. industrial
capitalists. broadly: a person of wealth:
plutocrat. Charitable organizations often
seek help from capitalists
Socialist
State socialist distributive justice is a system
where the government or a central authority controls
the production of goods and services. From 1918 to
1989, the former Soviet Union practiced this state
socialism. India also illustrated this system from
independence from the British in 1947 to the early
1990s.
 Socialists believe that sharing ownership of
the means of production equally among society
would increase people's quality of life. Socialists
want to give people free access to basic life
necessities like food, housing, and healthcare.
Some socialists also believe employment should
be guaranteed as a human right.
 D. THE STATE AND CITIZENS,
AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES TO
EACH OTHER: THE PRINCIPLES
OF TAXATION
 TAXATION
Taxation is a means by which the state and its
citizens accomplish their responsibilities to each other.
By definition, taxation is a means by which states or
governments finance their expenditure, basically and
ideally for constituents, by imposing charges on them
and corporate entities. Government expenditures
fundamentally involve social welfare programs for
citizens.
 IMPORTANCE OF TAXATION
Tax revenue funds public goods and
services such as roads, schools,
hospitals, and security, which are vital
for the well-being of the community.
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
The social contract is an implicit
agreement among members of a society
to cooperate for social benefits, wherein
citizens agree to follow laws and pay
taxes in exchange for protection and
services from the state.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STATE
The state is tasked with ensuring the
welfare and safety of its citizens,
providing services that improve quality
of life and maintain order.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITIZEN
Citizens contribute financially
through taxes, which support the state’s
functions and services, fostering a sense
of shared responsibility.
E. THE STATUS OF
PEACE IN PURSUIT
TO JUSTICE
 Justice is the cornerstone of a just and
equitable society. It encompasses not only
the fair enforcement of laws but also the
protection of human rights and the
assurance of equal opportunities for all. In a
just society, individuals have confidence that
their grievances will be heard, their rights
will be respected, and their dignity will be
upheld.
 In the context of international relations,
justice involves addressing historical
injustices, respecting the sovereignty of
nations, and ensuring that all parties are
treated fairly in negotiations and
agreements. It is through the pursuit of
justice that nations can reconcile and build
lasting peace.
 In essence, peace and justice are
intertwined. When justice is absent,
violence often fills the void, as
grievances fester and conflicts escalate.
Conversely, without the absence of
violence, justice cannot be fully realized,
as fear and insecurity undermine the
pursuit of fairness and equality.
 Peace is not a passive state but an active
pursuit, requiring the collective effort of
individuals, communities, and nations. It is the
delicate balance between the absence of violence
and the presence of justice that defines a
peaceful society. As we strive for peace in our
world, let us remember that it is only by
upholding both elements of this equation that we
can hope to achieve a future free from conflict
and characterized by harmony and justice.
 How to Establish Peace and Justice
in the World
• Speak out when we see injustices. Sometimes all it takes to begin
building a more peaceful and inclusive society is one person who is
willing to stand up for what is right.
• Take action to overcome our own barriers. When we treat ourselves
with love and kindness we are bringing more peace into our own
lives, which we can in turn share with others.
• Offer up prayers. The power of prayer can change the hearts of
people all over the world and bring them greater peace. It can also
soften our own heart to be more attentive to the needs of our
suffering brothers and sisters.
 End of Lesson 13
Justice and Fairness:
Promoting Common Good

Thank you for listening everyone!