Distributive Justice: A Review of the Concept and Its Implications
Abstract
This article reviews the concept of distributive justice and its implications. Distributive justice is an area of justice studies that focuses on the equitable distribution of resources, benefits, and burdens within a society. The concept of distributive justice has been studied extensively in the fields of political science, sociology, psychology, and economics. This article discusses the various theoretical frameworks that have emerged from the study of distributive justice, as well as the empirical research that has been conducted in this area. The review concludes by discussing some of the implications of distributive justice for policy and practice.
Keywords: distributive justice, resource distribution, equity, fairness, justice
Introduction
Distributive justice is a field of justice studies that focuses on the equitable distribution of resources, benefits, and burdens within a society (Kraft, 2014). It is an important concept in many disciplines, including political science, sociology, psychology, and economics. It has been a topic of debate since ancient times, and the debate continues today. This article reviews the concept of distributive justice and its implications.
Theoretical Frameworks of Distributive Justice
There are several different theoretical frameworks that have been developed to explain distributive justice. The most prominent theories are utilitarianism, fairness theory, and Rawlsian justice.
Utilitarianism is a theory of justice which states that resources, benefits, and burdens should be distributed in such a way as to maximize the overall happiness of the greatest number of people (Mill, 1848). Utilitarians argue that it is more important to maximize happiness than to ensure that everyone receives an equal share of resources.
Fairness theory is another framework for understanding distributive justice. This theory argues that resources, benefits, and burdens should be distributed in a way that is fair and equitable (Rawls, 1971). This means that everyone should receive an equal share of resources, regardless of their individual characteristics.
Finally, Rawlsian justice is a theory of distributive justice that emphasizes the need to protect the least advantaged members of society (Rawls, 1971). This theory argues that resources, benefits, and burdens should be distributed in such a way as to ensure that the least advantaged members of society are not disadvantaged in any way.
Empirical Research on Distributive Justice
There has been a great deal of empirical research on distributive justice. A number of studies have examined the impact of distributive justice on individual and collective well-being (Lane, 2018; Smith et al., 2015). These studies have found that people who experience greater distributive justice tend to have higher levels of well-being than those who experience less distributive justice.
In addition, several studies have looked at the impact of distributive justice on economic outcomes (Piketty, 2014; Alesina et al., 2013). These studies have found that countries with higher levels of distributive justice tend to have higher levels of economic growth and lower levels of inequality.
Implications of Distributive Justice
The concept of distributive justice has important implications for policy and practice. It suggests that policy makers should strive to ensure that resources, benefits, and burdens are distributed in a way that is fair and equitable. It also suggests that policy makers should consider the impact of their policies on the least advantaged members of society, as well as on the overall population.
Conclusion
In conclusion, distributive justice is an important concept in many disciplines, including political science, sociology, psychology, and economics. The concept has been studied extensively, and there are several different theoretical frameworks that have been developed to explain it. There has also been a great deal of empirical research on the concept, which has found that greater levels of distributive justice are associated with higher levels of well-being and economic growth, and lower levels of inequality. Finally, the concept has important implications for policy and practice, suggesting that policy makers should strive to ensure that resources, benefits, and burdens are distributed in a way that is fair and equitable.
References
Alesina, A., Glaeser, E. L., & Sacerdote, B. (2013). Why doesn’t the US have a European-style welfare state? Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 44(2), 1-73.
Kraft, M. (2014). Distributive justice: An introduction. In M. Kraft (Ed.), Distributive justice: Theory and practice (pp. 1-20). New York, NY: Routledge.
Lane, L. (2018). Distributive justice and well-being: An empirical analysis. Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 37(3), 253-267.
Mill, J. S. (1848). Utilitarianism. London: Parker, Son, and Bourn.
Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the twenty-first century. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Smith, A., Franklin, A., & Glaeser, E. (2015). Distributive justice and economic outcomes. Journal of Public Economics, 128, 1-16.