Social Justice

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Social Justice

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Social Justice is tied up with overlapping concepts of Rights and

Equality

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Discuss with your neighbour

“What single thing is most wrong with the world today?” [be prepared to feedback]

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How could this ‘thing’ be fixed?

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Social Justice is concerned with who ought to get what

• Should footballers be paid tens-of-thousands of pounds per game?

• Should ‘celebrities’ be paid tens-of-thousands of pounds per appearance?

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Would you? Why?

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Would you? Why?

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Would you? Why?

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Why have I given you this reading pack?

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Standard Distribution

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50-59% 60-69%

70-79%40-49%

Two contrasting views of Social Justice

• Individualistic.• The core of ‘just’ claims is tied

with labour.• It is unjust to redistribute what

people have worked hard for. • Let people give to charity to

redistribute…• How do we value different

types of work?• Unattractive.• Let the market decide.• Importance of work ethic.

• Social based• Value should be decided

outside of market forces.• Attractive• Veil of ignorance• Towards an ‘equality of

outcome’• However, can we decide value

without involving social position, class and costs?

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“...no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status; nor does he know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence and strength, and the like”

John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (1971)

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Principle based“The Categorical

Imperative”

UtilitarianThe Most Use

Principle based (Kantian)3 Minute Philosophy: Deontological

• Duty-based or Deontological ethics The word 'deontological' comes from the Greek word deon, which means 'duty'.

• Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of their actions.

• Do the right thing: Do it because it's the right thing to do.• Don't do wrong things: Avoid them because they are

wrong.• Under this form of ethics you can't justify an action by

showing that it produced good consequences, which is why it's sometimes called 'non-Consequentialist'.

Utilitarian (Teleological) 3 Minute Philosophy: Utilitarianism

• Consequentialist theory: the ends justify the means.

• Humans have 2 masters (motivations)

• 1. Humans seek happiness

• 2. Humans avoid pain.

• Therefore, we should maximise happiness and minimise pain.

Sen Again (Dwyer pages 19-20)

From the last

session

[developme

nt/capability

approaches

]

Sen, Nozick and Rawls all still rely on CAPITALISM as enabling ‘Social Justice’.

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Critique and alternatives to capitalism as an organising system can be found

in Powell and Hewitt 2002 ‘Social Explanations’

Alongside Dwyer (2013) and Taylor-Gooby(2012), Powell and Hewitt explore how governments have tried to promote ‘social justice’ (according to varying definitions) in policy and provisions.

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Jost and Kay (2009)

A fantastically broad and detailed account of psychological, philosophical and sociological theoretical definitions of social justice.

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Emerging Issues

• With increased social diversity – can we have ‘one size fits all principles’?

• Can we have a (Social) Justification made on ‘market principles’. Work Ethic

• (Social) Justification made on values about ‘good’ family life. Family Ethic

• Increasing ‘individual’ responsibilities; decreasing ‘state’ responsibilities.

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