Theories of Social Justice

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the following three main traditions of thinking regarding social justice: (1) liberal individualism, (2) market individualism, and (3) social democracy. The paper looks at the Afrocentric paradigm and explores possible alternative views of justice not captured by the three theoretical frameworks. The paper notes that the three theories of social work were written and developed by white individuals, thus reaffirming the power of white individuals in society without accurately reflecting the true client base in the United States.

Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Market Individualism
Liberal Individualism
Social Democrat
The Afrocentric Paradigm

From the Paper:

"Market individualism holds that social justice is less focused on the distribution of justice and more focused on the process by which holdings are acquired. In this school of thought the state is involved only minimally while the market makes provision of social justice through employment, services and welfare thereby protecting the individual's freedom. There is no socially set goals for economic allocation in the theory of "market individualism". Market Individualism is a concept that was introduced in the work of Robert Nozick in his 1970 publication entitled: "Anarchy, State and Utopia" which expressed a belief that the market is the basic provider of social justice employment, services and welfare."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Sohng, S. (2004). A brief overview of contemporary theories of social justice. Justice lecture notes October 04, pp. 1-13.
• Rawls. J. (1997). Justice and Equity, In L. Pojman & R. Westmoreland (Eds), Equality: Selected Readings (pp.183-190). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• Reisch, M. (2002). Defining social justice in a socially unjust world. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 83, 343-354.
• Isbister, J. (2001). Capitalism and justice, Chapter 1 and 2 (pp. 3-29). Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press.
• Young, I. (2003). Political Responsibility and structural injustice. Paper presented at the Political Theory Workshop, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. December.

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