📘 Political Theory – Page 20 JUSTICE: Classical Foundations to Contemporary Theories
The Moral Core of Political Philosophy
1️⃣ What is Justice?
Justice refers to fairness in distribution, rights, punishment, opportunity and social order.
Core questions:
- Who gets what?
- On what basis?
- How should inequalities be treated?
- Is equality always just?
2️⃣ Classical Theory – Plato & Aristotle
🔹 Plato
- Justice = Harmony
- Each class performing its proper function
- Philosopher King rule
- Justice as moral order
🔹 Aristotle
- Distributive Justice
- Corrective Justice
- Proportional Equality
- Treat equals equally, unequals unequally
3️⃣ Liberal Theory of Justice
🔹 John Locke
- Natural Rights – Life, Liberty, Property
- Justice protects property
🔹 Utilitarian View (Bentham, Mill)
- Greatest happiness of greatest number
- Justice = Maximum utility
4️⃣ John Rawls – Justice as Fairness
Most Important for UPSC
- Original Position
- Veil of Ignorance
- Two Principles of Justice:
- Equal basic liberties for all
- Social and economic inequalities allowed only if:
- Benefit the least advantaged (Difference Principle)
- Fair equality of opportunity
Rawls attempts to reconcile liberty and equality.
5️⃣ Nozick – Libertarian Critique
- Minimal State
- Entitlement Theory
- Justice in acquisition, transfer, rectification
- Against redistributive taxation
"No one has a right to others’ labor."
6️⃣ Marxist Theory of Justice
- Justice under capitalism is illusion
- Class exploitation
- From each according to ability, to each according to need
- Justice only possible in classless society
7️⃣ Feminist Theory of Justice
- Justice must address gender inequality
- Critique of male-centered liberal justice
- Focus on care, recognition, inclusion
8️⃣ Global Justice
- Climate justice
- Global inequality
- Migration & refugee rights
- North-South divide
Justice now extends beyond national boundaries.
9️⃣ Contemporary Debates
- Equality vs Equity
- Identity-based justice
- Affirmative action
- Social justice vs market freedom
🔟 Justice in Indian Context
- Preamble – Social, Economic, Political Justice
- Reservation policy
- Directive Principles
- Judicial activism
Justice is not merely legal correctness. It is moral fairness institutionalized.
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