Is Liberty Compatible with Social Justice?
The starting point, or at least a fundamental consideration for many schools of political thought is social justice. What makes a society just? And what are the means — the institutions and methods — by which justice can be instituted? What are the outcomes that we must aim at?
In contrast to other political philosophies — the fundamental consideration or the highest political value of libertarianism is liberty, and not what has come to be called ‘social justice’. This has led many to believe that libertarianism is unconcerned or apathetic to considerations of social justice, and that the measures or institutions advocated by libertarianism would result in outcomes that are not just. This is not true.
This view partly stems from the fact, perhaps, that libertarianism does not aim at particular outcomes. Its fundamental concern is instituting liberty (which is realized by instituting property), in which individuals are free to pursue their own values; it does not dictate these values.
For instance, it would allow individuals to employ their property as they see fit. An individual’s employment of property may, by someone’s judgement, be less than ideal. One may employ one’s property to open a luxury restaurant instead of opening a school, which by some criterion, may not be the best employment of that piece of property. Libertarianism would not concern itself with how the individual employs his/her property, or in evolving a criterion by which we make these judgements. In so far as the individual was free in employing property that was honestly and rightly acquired, the outcome is fair.
What then is the relation between social justice and libertarianism?
Social justice, while perhaps not being the starting point of libertarianism, is a vital part of its narrative. It is perhaps worth considering what we mean by ‘social justice’. How is ‘social justice’ different from justice? What is the word social adding to it? Is it one thing for outcomes to be just and another for them to be socially just?
I think of a just society to be one in which everyone enjoys a basic minimum standard of living, and it which people have the means to make their lives better. I understand that there might be some ambiguity or points of contention in the way I’ve defined social justice, and hopefully I’ll flesh them out in future articles.
There would be a near consensus among people that the state has a vital role in realizing justice — in instituting economic and social policies or employing resources in a manner that leads to socially desirable outcomes, say a ‘more equitable distribution of wealth’ or the upliftment of certain sections of the society. But it is important to examine how capable the state is in realizing these ends. Consider labour laws and minimum wage, which while instituted to protect ‘workers’ rights’ leads to unemployment. Or consider whether land acquisition (again motivated by worthy ends — to generate employment and to aid economic development) excuses or ‘justifies’ (it is curious that the word justify is related to the word justice) taking farmers’ property without their consent.
Any impartial assessment of state actions and policy would lead one to reasonably conclude, or at least entertain the possibility that state action does not always lead to outcomes that are just — indeed; that it may indeed lead to outcomes that are far from just. It ought to give reasonable grounds for one to be suspect of all state action.
In libertarianism’s relation to social justice, here are a few things that I have come to consider —
- Just institutions lead to just outcomes
As alluded to above, libertarianism places justice not in the pursuit of particular ends; but in the institution of means that are just. Institutions are just when they secure the freedom of the individual and protect his/her rights. Justice is primarily a consideration of means, not of ends; and just institutions lead to just outcomes. (which is not to say that we should not evaluate, or not consider the effects of institutions)
- Economic Freedom is related to Social Justice
This particular point struck me with some force as I was going through B R Shenoy’s article on ‘Planning and Social Justice.’ Economic freedom provides the means for people to earn their living, and is, therefore, a vital part of securing justice.
In evaluating institutions, it is important not only to consider their stated aims, but also it its consequences. Empirically, the nations where individual rights are protected and economic freedom is valued have the highest degree of prosperity and other positive outcomes. However you may define social justice, it stands to reason that the nations which protect rights and value economic freedom produce outcomes that are desirable, and are just.
Indeed, liberty may not only be compatible with social justice — it may well be the very means and an indispensable part of securing social justice.
(To learn more about economic freedom, visit economicfreedom.org. Some interesting perspectives on free markets, social justice and libertarianism can be found at http://bleedingheartlibertarians.com/ )
