What went wrong when the king rode under the arch?

It was too low and knocked off his crown

How does the chain of blame unfold in the poem?

Each accused person blames another, ending with the king's own changes

What does it mean to give each person their due?

Originally giving each their due; today, giving each the opportunity to develop their talents and pursue their goals, with equal consideration as a human being.

Whose idea of human dignity underlies modern justice?

Immanuel Kant's idea that human beings possess dignity and must be given due and equal consideration.

State the three principles of justice in the chapter.

Equal treatment for equals, proportionate justice, and recognition of special needs.

Give an example of proportionate justice.

Awarding marks according to the quality of answer papers and effort, rather than giving everyone identical marks.

Why may special needs justify different treatment?

Because treating the deprived identically with the well-off can produce an unequal society; the disabled, the aged or the deprived may deserve special help.

What is Rawls' "veil of ignorance"?

Imagining you must design society without knowing your own future position, which leads rational people to choose rules fair even to the worst-off.

Why would people under the veil of ignorance protect the worst-off?

Because, not knowing their own future place, they would secure rules that protect them in case they are born disadvantaged, while also benefiting society as a whole.

How has India pursued just distribution?

By abolishing untouchability to promote social equality and by instituting land reforms to redistribute resources more fairly.

What do supporters of free markets argue?

That free competition rewards merit and talent, is neutral to caste, religion and gender, and tends to distribute benefits justly.

Why might the state need to intervene for social justice?

Because free markets often work in favour of the privileged and may deny basic services to the weak, so the state should ensure basic facilities for all.

Social Justice

Class 11 Political Science · Political Theory · Chapter 4

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This chapter explores justice, which concerns how public life is ordered and how social goods and duties are distributed. In ancient India justice was linked to dharma; Confucius linked it to rewarding the virtuous; Plato in The Republic, through Socrates, argued it is in our own long-term interest to be just, since justice involves the well-being of all. The modern idea, drawing on Immanuel Kant, holds that all human beings possess dignity and so justice requires giving due and equal consideration to all. The chapter sets out three principles of justice: equal treatment for equals (equal rights and no discrimination by class, caste, race or gender), proportionate justice (rewarding people in proportion to the scale and quality of their effort), and recognition of special needs (giving extra help on grounds of disability, age or lack of access to education and health). Governments must harmonise these principles. Just distribution may require redistributing resources, as with India's abolition of untouchability and land reforms. The chapter presents John Rawls' theory: under a "veil of ignorance", not knowing our future position, rational people would choose rules fair to the worst-off. It closes with the debate between free markets and state intervention in pursuing social justice.

Social Justice

Key terms

Justice

giving each person their due, with due and equal consideration for all, based on human dignity.

Equal treatment for equals

the principle that all who share humanity deserve equal rights and must not be discriminated against by class, caste, race or gender.

Proportionate justice

rewarding people in proportion to the scale and quality of their effort, skill and the nature of the work.

Recognition of special needs

taking account of disability, age or deprivation when distributing rewards and burdens, to promote social justice.

Veil of ignorance

John Rawls' device of choosing rules of society without knowing one's own future position, leading to fair outcomes for the worst-off.

Distributive justice

the just distribution of goods, services and resources within or between societies.

Try one from this chapter

In ancient Indian society, justice was associated with:

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Social Justice

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Practice quiz · Social Justice

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