Single Idea 259

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 1. Basis of justice]

Full Idea

Justice consists of granting the 'equality' which unequals deserve to get.

Gist of Idea

Justice is granting the equality which unequals deserve

Source

Plato (The Laws [c.349 BCE], 757d)

Book Reference

Plato: 'The Laws', ed/tr. Saunders,Trevor J [Penguin 1970], p.230


A Reaction

Beautifully simple, and hard to improve on. It shows the close link between equality and justice, but shows why they are not the same. The main debate about justice concerns the criteria for 'deserving'.