Definition of Distributive Justice

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE
The term distributive justice refers to fairness in the way things are distributed,
caring more about how it is decided who gets what, rather than what is
distributed. In modern society, this is an important principle, as it is generally
expected that all goods will be distributed throughout society in some manner.
In a society with a limited amount of resources and wealth, the question of fair
allocation is often a source of debate and contention. This is called distributive
justice. To explore this concept, consider the following distributive justice
definition
Definition of Distributive Justice

Noun
1. Justice that is concerned with the distribution or allotment of goods, duties, and
privileges in concert with the merits of individuals, and the best interests of
society.
Equality of Resources
There is a philosophy in distributive justice, in which treats each person’s
abilities and external resources as random chance. In this theory, inequalities
between people’s social situations are acceptable, if they are a result of the
individuals’ personal choices, but are not acceptable if they result from
disadvantages thrust upon them. Under this theory, an individual who begins
with equal resources may still end up in a better state than others, simply by
virtue of having fewer handicaps, or greater talents
Welfare-Based Principles of
Distributive Justice
Distributive justice takes into account the equitable distribution of many aspects
of social life, above and beyond “goods.” Other benefits and burdens that are
considered include potential income and economic wealth, taxation, work
obligations, political power, education, housing, healthcare, military service,
and community involvement.
Equality issues then are commonly seen in affirmative action policies, minimum
wage laws, and public education opportunities and quality. Some of the more
highly contended issues of distributive justice are those of public welfare,
including Medicaid and food stamps, as well as providing aid to developing
nations, and issues of progressive or tiered income taxes.
The Importance of Distributive Justice
In some fashion, every person’s claim to resources is, or has been, affected
by someone who came before. The issue of what someone owns, or what he
is entitled to, may be divided into two camps: (1) the belief that everyone
begins life at a null point when they are born, after which they must earn their
way through life, acquiring resources through the use of their talents and
effort; and (2) the belief that each person, from birth, is entitled to what his
parents possess, regardless of their own efforts in life. The second camp may
be expanded to include people who believe they are entitled to what others
have, regardless of family relation
It has been noted that people begin to feel a sense of injustice when they
believe that their condition or outcome is not in balance with the conditions of
other people in similar situations. The perception of being at some kind of
unfair disadvantage, or of not receiving a “fair share” of resources, often leads
to feelings of despair. This is especially true when a person feels his
fundamental needs are not met. A gulf between the “haves” and “have nots” of
society sometimes drives people to challenge the system, pushing for change.
The issue of perceived imbalance in distribution has become apparent in
certain regions of the world, including the Middle East, Europe, and other
regions, as more and more people take a stand, often violently. Even in the
United States, as the gulf between classes increases, civil and political unrest
escalate. Another important issue in distributive justice is society’s belief that
such things as race, color, gender, and religion should have nothing to do with
distribution. Many people’s actual life experiences lead them to feel at an
unfair disadvantage, and left out of what should be fair distribution.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
IN THE PRESENT ERA OF DEMOCRACY, MEANING OF JUSTICE IS
TAKED AS DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

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DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Definition of Distributive Justice

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