Cabinian, Angelika M.

BSA – IV
Dela Rosa, Rachelle Joyce M.
Torres, Ericka Mae Q.

Summary Report on
Chapter 6: Moral Principle 3: Social Justice

53. What is social justice?

Justice is traditionally defined as suum cuique tradere which means “the disposition by which
we render to each one what is due to him or her. Also, it is a complete disposition, a good habit, a
virtue that urges the doer to give “what is due to others.” Justice is not just an isolated virtue of the
chosen few but a necessary commodity for every serious player in the game of business.

54. Is the issue of justice pertinent to business and market system?

Yes, because justice means that employees work harder to deserve increase in salary, and
that hard-working employees get recognition for their valuable contributions and may be rewarded
with commendations, bonuses, and promotions.

55. What are the different forms of justice?

There are several forms of justice that may be applied to business namely general, distributive,
commutative, and social justice. The goal of general justice is directed to the “norms of right order,”
specifically towards the promotion of the common good. Next, distributive justice disposes the
legitimate authority to justly distribute the benefits and burdens to particular individuals. Thus, the
process of general justice is mainly collection, that of distributive justice is distribution.

56. What do you mean by distribution of burdens and benefits?

The distribution of burdens in taxation requires proportionate equality, and proportionate
equality is not necessarily an equal share but a fair share of carrying the burden of taxes. Established
on the principle of ability to pay, a fair share means those earners of the lower-income bracket should
not be taxed as much as those of the higher ones. With this, distributive justice or fair distribution is
the chief justification of a progressive tax system, wherein the poor pay little and the rich pay more.
On the other hand, in distribution of benefits, the state assigns the highest budget to education and
ensures that the public schools attract and retains the best and brightest available talents through
adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment. Such allocation will benefit
the underprivileged.

57. What is commutative justice?

Commutative justice is the third type of justice wherein its main concern is the strict
mathematical equality that requires people to give others what is due to them. In a market system, this
type of justice requires strict equality where the value of a thing should be given by its monetary value.
One social duty of this kind of justice is the “equal work, equal pay.” Moreover, there are certain
situations wherein men are better paid than women and those who are discriminated based on their
skin color are paid less.

58. What is social justice from the Christian point of view?

Social justice, being the fourth type of justice, is the distribution of wealth and opportunities.
However, with a touch of Christian point of view, social justice not only aims to distribute wealth equally
but mainly to deliver it to those people who really are in need. All business institutions, NGOs, and the
government acknowledge that the greatest benefit should go to the four L’s: the less fortunate, least
advantage, the last, and the lost. It is social justice that makes sure that those who have more in life
will eventually give those who have less.