The idea of just society is of great relevance in the modern world. Justice is a quality of providing equality and fairness. It is essentially the quality of giving equal opportunities to people regardless of their background (Sandel, 7). The idea of a just society stretches among various aspects of life. For example, in the court, judges are expected to make a fair ruling to a case. Furthermore, in the corporate world, the employers should only hire employees based on their qualifications. Finally, justice may be applied in the society where the freedom and welfare of all individuals should be respected. The administration of President Barrack Obama and the entire branch of the judicial system ensures that justice prevails at all times. Using Kant`s Moral philosophy to evaluate justice from a moral perspective allows for a more equal and practical sense of dispensing justice, since morality guides human beings to act on situations based on beliefs and personal convictions.
The Moral Philosophy by Kant would lead to the most just society. Morality appears as personal and at the same time universal aspect of judging things (Sandel, 20). When morality is universal, then everybody has a similar interpretation and understanding of justice. Morality guides human beings and the societies make most of their judgment based on morality. Kant describes freedom as “being able to receive personal happiness without external limitations or forces that limit personal happiness”. In simple terms, freedom is being able to act as you wish without limitations. The Moral philosophy connects morality, freedom and justice together by indicating that humans have the capability to reason. Through the capability to reason that human beings practice justice from a moral perspective.
Citizenship
A just society provides for the citizenship of a person in any state in the country. A person can become a citizen in any state given that they are able to provide the necessary documents for registration. The senate continuously reviews the rules and regulations to make sure that they are just for all people who want to receive citizenship (Sandel, 35). The new group works in collaboration with the senate through providing suggestions for the amendment of the law to ensure that a just society is created. Issues like forceful deportation of people who have applied for citizenship or those whose time has expired needs reviewing. When creating a just society, only persons who violate the code of conduct should be deported. The opportunities to earn citizenship in the different states through green cards and visas need to be increased. Increasing citizenship opportunities is the best approach in solving the immigration problem.
The Economy
A major problem in the economy is employment, a stable economy is essential in creating a just society. In employment, justice needs to be applied in creating fair opportunities and chances for all people. The key criterion that needs to be implemented is the employment of people with the right skills and education (Sandel, 47). Experience and age may also be considered for different jobs, which require networking and mobility of the employee. From Kant`s point of view, opportunities in employment should be made available for all people who have qualified not discriminating people with disability. Persons with disability have complained repeatedly for being left out in the employment process. A just society is one where equal employment chances exist. They do not just exist; the employers create them. The committee works with different opportunities to request that 20% of the vacancies be left for persons with disability.
Kant’s perspective about a “just society” offers stability where the people’s character is determined by the basic life-governing commitment including the strength of will. If employment issues and the lack of equal justice in the distribution of opportunities among the people, the economy will remain stagnant and demonstrates a character without virtue. The strength of will puts policies in practice, given that the committee works in strengthening policies ensure available employment opportunity for all, the virtue of such initiative cannot be realized without the will to push it through. Kant’s argument on stability pertains to the virtues of good will and the commitment to establish social justice in order attains economic prosperity. This argument is supported by Rawls principles of justice as fairness. The first of Rawls’ principle suggests that the society should assure each citizen a fair claim to the full extent of basic rights and liberties. In this case, economic stability is central to the creation of a just society. The absence of equality in employment, therefore, constitutes constraints in claiming for the basic human rights, thus impedes a creation of a just society.
The employment issue is surrounded by another issue; wages. Once the issue of employment and equal opportunities has been resolved another issue presents itself which is the problem of wages. A just society should be one where there is no inequality among people of different class. This is because the laws assume that all people are equal which affirms the significance of promoting equality in the society. The idea of just society contradicts with the situation where the employer makes huge profit while compensating their workers. Workers need motivation and a good salary motivates them (Sandel, 59). Employers need to find the balance between the highest pay and the lowest pay. Employers need to balance what they pay their employees with the company’s turnover and the labor used in the task. In addition, the skills and level of experience should be factors to consider. To create a just society rewards should be based on effort and employers should avoid giving demoralizing salaries.
Provision of Information
A just society needs access to information. The society today is an “information hungry society”. People on a daily basis browse the internet in search of answers and information that interests them. A just society in relation to the rising need by people to access information should be one where access to information is not restricted. Sources of information like the internet should not be restricted (Sandel, 52). People search for information to increase their knowledge and interact with people who have done what they are trying to do. Through accessing the information that they need people are able to prepare for the future. Restricted access to information is a form of injustice.
Have a look at the fundamentals of a just society according to the Morality philosophy by Kant`s, freedom is a key aspect. Freedom is the access to unlimited happiness without external interferences. Restricting access to information is limiting a person’s freedom to access information. Sources of information remain open for all people who are interested in a just society (Sandel, 52). However, government secrets on matters of national security remain classified information. The best approach to information access is by classifying information for that which relates to national security may not be accessed by everybody.
In a just society, the welfare of all members comes as a priority to all other interests. Everybody should enjoy his or her freedom that is unlimited happiness. Access to services such as health services and other social services should be done in a fair manner (Sandel, 78). Justice is not a matter of race or social class rather a matter of morality. The mind gives human beings insight on issues of morality through inner convictions. A just society should be directed by morality that gets a reference from shared beliefs.
Despite the positive attribution of Kant’s theory to society on the concept of a just society, the theory also encompasses native attributions to the society. From another angle, a just society is a place where the people are happy considering that they are enjoying the benefits of equal rights and liberties. Therefore, Kantian ethics suggests that decisions should always adhere to the interest of the greater member of the society and actions should be made for the sake of common good. Therefore, a just society in relation to Kant’s theory suggests utilitarianism where all agree and that circumstances that maximizes utility is wrong. For example, if a doctor has six patients, one is rather healthier than the other five that are on verge of death. The five severely ill patients require organ donations in order to survive. However, all of the needed organs are present in the singular healthier patient.
Therefore, one patient must be killed in order to save five, which on the other hand adheres to the Kantian principles that all must enjoy their rights and in this case, the right to live. In a just society, decisions had to be made for the common good, but if the good of the greater population depends upon the expense of one, then, it is not right to call it a just society because one was deprived of his right to live. This constitutes the negative implication of Kant’s theory where a marginal number of citizens had to be disposed in the name of stability. If all are equal in opportunity in a just society, all and none should be left deprived of his rights. However, in a real world the Kant’s principles has a profound negative implication towards the society. For one, capitalists believe that progress and economic prosperity should be advocated to elevate the state of living conditions of the greater population. However, the surplus population had to be disposed in a form of land grabbing and or corruption, which are in contrast to a just society.
Conclusion
A just society is one where opportunities exist for everyone fairly. The welfare of individuals should always be safeguarded to ensure that the society is happy. Justice can be ensured and protected using these institutions and the judicial system. The basic guide to providing justice is morality. However, judicial systems are tools used to ensure that cases of injustice are handled appropriately. Judgments made in the judicial system will be used as reference material by the society in determining what justice is and how to come up with a just society.
Works Cited
Sandel, Michael J. Justice: what's the right thing to do?. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Print.
