Social Justice 10!

Briefly describe your understanding of each historical Social Justice figure in the reading.

Plato and Socrates defined social justice through social order. The two suggested social order based on human nature consisting of three main segments such as spiritual-rational and appetitive. The rational segment focused on the wisdom that stimulates ruling and command. Rational virtue attributes include wisdom, tolerance, reasoning, and discipline that guides one on how to rule or become a leader. The spiritual segment focused on the urge to maintain law and order in society. The appetite segment focused on the urge to satisfy bodily appetites.

Plato defined social justice as the ability of humans to balance the three segments. Injustice would, therefore, arise when individuals fail to balance the segments and allow one to dominate the others. For instance, an individual’s decision to satisfy their lust may result in committing social injustices to others within society. According to Aristotle theory of social injustice arises in the event equals are treated unequally and as well as when unequal are treated equally. Aristotle advocated that justice would be well served when things are distributed not equally but based on some form of quality, achievement or character of the persons concerned. Aristotle was right since actual social settings have their own unique characteristics. Aristotle believed that social justice would be achieved if the provided attributes are upheld.

Hebert Spencer defined social justice as receiving the right rewards based on one's behaviors or actions. Spencer based his social justice definition on economic assumptions. In this case good, behaviors resulting in goods results should be rewarded with good benefits and punishment based on one's level of evil deeds. Adam Smith on his part based his interpretation of social justice on the free market. Smith held the assumption that in free market individuals would struggle to their level best potential to actualize their set goals. In the quest to achieve the set goals other people would end up benefiting from their efforts. Smith advocated that individuals pursuing their own interests should not be blocked from doing so but only be regulated through agreed laws. Smith theory was developed during the industrialization period thus became a major boost for developing wealth across the world.

Peter Kropotkin suggested that social justice arises when individual persons get concerned about others in everything that they do. The concern should not be stimulated by the urge to reap some rewards but based on the spirit of togetherness. Kropotkin emphasized on mutual aid as the basis of advancing social justice in society. Kropotkin strongly believed in no need for laws of governing social justice when the people fully understand the spirit of togetherness and mutual aid. When mutual spirit exist individuals would be willing to sacrifice for the general development of humanity in every aspect and not the development of individuals.

Karl Max and Frederick Angels defined social justice through the interpretation of the economy. Unlike Adam Smith, Marx and Frederick found the market as the source of injustices rather than justices. According to the two theorists, markets were designed to favor a few individuals leaving the majority under the mercy of abject poverty and exploitations. Karl Mark and Frederick advocated for the need to embrace capitalism as one of the means of eliminating social injustices within society. The two believed that social justice would arise when the economic structures help eliminate any form of discrimination among humanity.

Then identify the three you most align with and why

One of the theorists who inspire me most by providing a brilliant definition of social justice is Peter Kropotkin. Kropotkin argues that social justice is founded on a concern for others. If humans become fully concerned about fellow humans, no one would perpetuate social injustice against the other. Vices such as social discrimination or social injustices against the less privileged would never be. Aristotle also inspires me with his social justice definition and interpretation. Social justice would always prevail when individuals are treated based on their quality such as achievements as well as equalities. The parameters must be assessed before arriving at the final decision to avoid chaos or war in society.