Justice Flashcards
Distribution of what requires a particular kind of moral judgement?
Distribution of rewards and punishment.
What does social justice refer to?
Social justice refers to the distribution of material rewards and benefits in society such as wages, profits, housing, medical care, welfare benefits and so on.
In what sense are human beings born ‘equal’?
Human beings are born ‘equal’ in a sense that each individual is of equal moral worth.
Foundational equality implies a belief in what?
Foundational equality implies a belief in formal equality or equal citizenship.
Citizens should enjoy the same formal status in society, particularly in terms of the distribution of rights and entitlement.
What do liberals fiercely disapprove of in terms of equality?
Liberals fiercely disapprove of any social privileges or advantages.
How is liberalism ‘difference blind’?
“Irrational factors” such as gender, race, colour, creed, religion or social background. Rights should not be reserved for any particular class of person. This is the sense in which liberalism is ‘difference blind’.
What are the most important forms of formal equality?
The most important forms of formal equality are legal equality and political equality.
Legal equality emphasises ‘equality before law’ and political equality is embodies the idea of ‘one person, one vote, one vote, one values’.
Do liberals believe in the equality of opportunity?
Yes.
Liberals believe in the equality of opportunity- each and every individual should have the same chance to rise or fall in society. This is not to say that there should be equality of outcome or reward, that living conditions and social circumstances should be the same for all.
Why do liberals believe that social equality is not desirable?
Liberals believe that social equality is not desirable because people are not born the same. They possess different talents and skills and some are prepared to work much harder than others.
Leads to belief in ‘meritocracy’
What is a meritocratic society?
A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of talent and application amongst human beings, or are based on factors beyond human control.
How is a meritocratic society ‘just’?
Individuals are judged not by their gender or colour of skin, but according to their talents and willingness to work.
Which strand of liberalism supports a meritocratic society?
Classical liberals have endorsed strict meritocracy on both economic and moral grounds.
