DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Distributive Justice



Distributive Justice

Introduction

The major aim behind the formulation of principles of distributive judgment is to provide guidance for allocation of burdens and benefits of the activities taking place in the economy. These principles may vary in myriad ways subject to either; (I) distribution of wealth, income, job opportunities, welfare etc (II) the nature of the elements for distribution, for instance, groups of people, natural persons, reference classes etc and (III) on the underlying basis of distribution, for instance, individual characteristics, maximization, free transaction, equality, etc.

The concept of distributive justice is fundamentally not a problem of possessions; rather problems of income. It does not deal with possessions of rich people; rather with the ethics of their possessions, only under one aspect indirectly. In addition to this it also deals with only those forms of income which are obtained by participating in the process of production. For instance, the chief concern of distributive justice is with the wages which labors get, and not with the subsidies which the labor obtains through friendship or charity. The key questions, which are included in studying distributive justice, include; why should the capitalists received a predetermined amount? Why shall a labor who performs one duty should get a higher wage rate than any other labor? Why should not all the people be equally compensated? Should all or any of the improvements made in the industries go to the customer?

These are just a few questions related to distributive justice, which makes the complexity of this issue quite evident. This paper aims to identify the works of six major thinkers in the field of distributive justice and the criticism which the theories of these thinkers received. Moreover, the paper will also identify the most appropriate theory amongst the six, according to the understanding of the researcher.

Plato's Theory in “The Republic”

In his book The Republic, Plate investigated what is justice? In this regard, Plato stated that justice means that every part of the soul and every class which exists in the city must perform the appropriate tasks. This notion relates to Plato's view about the social hierarchy in the city. In this view, Plato states that this social hierarchy of the city act in response to the hierarchy of the soul and justice principles answers for both internally. Plato distinguished between three powers in his book-reason, desire and spirit relating to the qualities of prudence, temperance and fortitude. When these powers perform their required functions, by their virtues, they fulfill the requirements of justice in Plato's view. Moreover, according to Plato three powers of souls get answers from three courses of actions, and this can be found in every human being. In Plato's just society everyone performs their sole function. As according to Plato:

“Justice has to do with being in harmony and performing one's due, i.e. the appropriate tasks.”

Criticism on Plato's Theory of Tripartite Harmony in the City

The strongest criticism on Plato's City-Soul analogy is by Bernard ...