📘 Class 11 Political Science
Chapter – Social Justice ✨
⚖️ Meaning of Justice
- In ancient societies, justice was linked with religion (Dharma) and considered the primary duty of the king. 👑
- Justice is related to the rules of personal and public life through which benefits and duties are distributed.
- In ancient Indian society, the king was responsible for ensuring justice.
- Sometimes justice was seen as:
- “As you sow, so shall you reap.” 🌱➡️🌾
- Or as the result of past birth deeds or God’s will. 🙏
- Justice has four major dimensions:🔹 Political Justice🔹 Legal Justice🔹 Social Justice🔹 Economic Justice
👨🏫 Definitions of Justice
- Prof. Salmond ➝ Justice is the means of giving every individual his due share.
- Karl Marx (Marxist View) ➝ “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” 💡
- Greek Philosopher Plato ➝ In his book “The Republic”, justice means functional specialization – everyone doing work according to their role. 📖
- Chinese Philosopher Confucius ➝ Justice is established by punishing the wrongdoers and rewarding the good people. ⚒️🏅
- Socrates ➝ If everyone becomes unjust, then no one will remain safe. Justice is simply giving each person his due share. 🤝
- German Philosopher Immanuel Kant ➝ Every person has dignity and therefore must get equal opportunities to develop their talent and achieve goals. 🎯
🌀 Types of Justice
1️⃣ Social Justice 👫
- No discrimination between individuals in society.
- Equality before law & equal protection of law. ⚖️
- Just distribution of opportunities, goods & services → e.g., Abolition of untouchability, reservation policy, land reforms. 🌍
2️⃣ Political Justice 🗳️
- Equal political rights → right to vote, contest elections, take part in governance.
- Example: Reserved seats for SCs & STs to ensure political participation. 🏛️
3️⃣ Economic Justice 💰
- Fair distribution of resources & wealth.
- Everyone must get opportunities for development and financial support if needed.
- Example: Providing economic help to weaker sections of society. 🏠
4️⃣ Legal / Juridical Justice 📜
- Equality before law, impartial judiciary & fair legal system.
- Depends on laws made by the state → laws must be just, non-discriminatory & rational.
5️⃣ Moral Justice 🌟
- Based on moral values, ethics & conscience.
- It goes beyond law, focusing on what is right & fair in human behavior.
📘 Class 11 Political Science
Chapter – Equality ⚖️
❇️ Three Principles of Establishing Social Justice 🏛️
1️⃣ Equal Treatment of Equals 👥
- All individuals must have equal rights and no discrimination.
- Citizens should be judged not on class (वर्ग), caste (जाति), race (नस्ल) or gender (लिंग) but on their work & activities.
- Example → If two persons from different castes do the same job, they must receive equal wages. 💰
2️⃣ Proportional Justice ⚖️
- Sometimes equal treatment may itself become injustice.
- Example → If all students in an exam are given the same marks, it cannot be called justice. ✍️
- Justice requires considering hard work (मेहनत), skill (कौशल), and possible risk (संभावित खतरे) while determining reward.
3️⃣ Special Care for Special Needs 🤝
- While deciding duties and wages, special needs (विशेष जरूरतें) of individuals must be considered.
- People who are not equal in important respects should be treated differently but fairly to ensure justice.
❇️ Rawls’ Theory of Justice 📖
- John Rawls explained justice through the idea of “Veil of Ignorance (अज्ञानता का आवरण)”.
- If a person does not know what position he will hold in society but is asked to design policies, he will choose such best policies which benefit every section of society.
- To establish social justice, it is necessary to reduce the gap between rich and poor and provide everyone with basic life necessities such as:🏠 Housing, 💧 Clean drinking water, 💵 Minimum wages, 📚 Education, 🍲 Food
❇️ Free Market vs. State Intervention 💹🏛️
- Free Market ➝ Supports open competition where capable individuals get direct benefits, opposing state interference.
- Debate ➝ Should the government take responsibility for weaker & deprived sections (वंचित वर्ग) who cannot compete in the market? 🤔
✅ Arguments in Favor of Free Market 🌐
- Market does not care about caste, religion or gender.
- It only rewards merit (योग्यता) and skill (कौशल).
❌ Arguments Against Free Market 🚫
- Market usually works in the interest of the powerful, rich & influential.
- As a result, weaker sections may be deprived of opportunities.
❇️ Steps Taken in India to Establish Social Justice 🇮🇳
- Free and compulsory primary education 📚
- Five-Year Plans for development 📊
- Antyodaya Schemes for the poorest 🤲
- Economic & social security for deprived groups 🛡️
- Fundamental Rights ensuring equality 📜
- Directive Principles of State Policy promoting justice 🎯
