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: They work to ensure that people receive their "fair share" of benefits and burdens and adhere to a system of "fair play." The principles of justice and fairness can be thought of as rules of "fair play" for issues of social justice. Whether they turn out to be grounded in universal laws or ones that are more context-bound, these principles determine the way in which the various types of justice are carried out. For example, principles of distributive justice determine what counts as a "fair share" of particular good, while principles of retributive or restorative justice shape our response to activity that violates a society's rules of "fair play." Social justice requires both that the rules be fair, and also that people play by the rules. People often frame justice issues in terms of fairness and invoke principles of justice and fairness to explain their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the organizations they are part of, as well as their state or government. [ 3] They want institutions to treat them fairly and to operate according to fair rules. What constitutes fair treatment and fair rules is often expressed by a variety of justice principles. Deserts, Equity, Equality, and Need
The principles of equity, equality, and need are most relevant in the context of distributive justice, but might play a role in a variety of social justice issues. [ 4] These principles all appeal to the notion of desert, the idea that fair treatment is a matter of giving people what they deserve.