Title: Principles of Justice and Fairness | Beyond Intractability
Headings: Principles of Justice and Fairness
Principles of Justice and Fairness
Current Implications
Justice Versus Fairness
Deserts, Equity, Equality, and Need
Impartiality, Consistency, Standing, and Trust
What is So Important about the Principles of Justice
Current Implications
Additional Resources

Content: 9] If they believe that the authority took their viewpoints into account and tried to treat them fairly, they are more likely to support and engage in the broader social system. What is So Important about the Principles of Justice
It may seem to be a simple matter of common sense that justice is central to any well-functioning society. However, the question of what justice is, exactly, and how it is achieved are more difficult matters. The principles of justice and fairness point to ideas of fair treatment and "fair play" that should govern all modes of exchange and interaction in a society. They serve as guidelines for carrying out justice. Not surprisingly, each of the principles of justice and fairness can be applied in a variety of contexts. For example, the principle of desert applies not only to the distribution of wealth, but also to the distribution costs and of punishments. " Environmental justice" is a relatively new term that examines and challenges the social tendency to site noxious facilities (such as landfills or polluting industries) in poor areas, but not affluent areas. An unjust distribution of punishments is suggested by the statistics that people of color are disproportionately represented in prisons and on death row. ( In 2012, people of color made up about 30 percent of the United States’ population, but accounted for 60 percent of those imprisoned.) [