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Rights & Justice
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Social justice
Big idea
At its core, social justice is the belief that everyone in society should be treated fairly and have equal rights and opportunities. This includes access to basic needs such as education, healthcare, employment, and legal protection. Although people may disagree about the exact meaning of social justice or the best way to achieve it, it is generally accepted as an important goal because it promotes equality, dignity, and social harmony.
A society that values social justice seeks to reduce discrimination, poverty, and inequality so that all individuals can participate fully in society.
Key words
Discrimination - Actions that come from prejudice attitudes
Equality - Belief that everyone is equal in value and worth.
Human rights - The rights a person should be entitled to simply because they are a human being, e.g. education, fair treatment etc.
Justice - Fairness; working to fix an unfair situation.
Poverty - The state of being without the things needed for a reasonable quality of life, so that day-today living is a struggle.
Prejudice - Negative thoughts, feelings or beliefs about a person (prejudging them) based on a characteristic they have, e.g. their sexuality or ethnicity
Social justice - Bringing justice to society so that all people have the same opportunities, and can take advantage of them; includes projects to improve the life situation of those who may be disadvantaged, e.g. by educational support.
What do the Abrahamic religions say about social justice?
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all teach that social justice is important. They say all people are equal because God created them. Social injustice happens when people are treated unfairly or with less respect than they deserve.
Old Testament
The Old Testament says everyone is equal because we are made in Godâs image:
"So God created humankind in his own image." (Genesis 1)
If everyone is equal, society should treat everyone fairly. Social justice means recognising and respecting the worth of every person.
Jesus
Jesus taught the importance of equality in one of his greatest commandments:
"Love your neighbour as yourself." (Mark 12)
This is about loving others selflessly. If you love others, you will want them to be treated fairly. This supports social justice.
Torah / Old Testament
Jesusâ teaching comes from Jewish teachings in the Torah:
"Love your neighbour as yourself." (Leviticus 19)
This shows that treating others with love and respect is important in both Judaism and Christianity. Supporting social justice helps make society fair and equal.
St Paul
After Jesus, Paul wrote letters to Christians. He said:
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3)
This means in Christianity, things like race, social status, or gender donât change a personâs value. Christians believe this supports social justice.
Qur'an
Islam also teaches that everyone is equal because Allah created all people. The Qurâan emphasizes justice and fairness and helping the poor:
"O mankind, We created you from a single pair of a male and a female⊠the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous." (Qurâan 49)
Muslims practice social justice by helping others, like giving Zakah (charity money) to reduce inequality.
What do religious believers do to promote social justice?
Religious people work to make society fair and reduce injustice. Examples include:
Charity work: Giving money, volunteering, or supporting charities that help people in poverty or facing discrimination.
Action: Campaigning or protesting against unfair laws or practices.
Prayer: Praying for those suffering or asking God to guide leaders to make society fairer.
Take it further - Liberation Theology
In South America, a Christian movement called Liberation Theology focused on helping the poor and oppressed. They believed Christians should fight injustice, poverty, and inequality.
Take it further - social justice and politics
Left-wing politics: Support policies like free healthcare and education to help less advantaged people.
Right-wing politics: Focus on personal responsibility, letting people succeed through their own effort rather than relying on government help.
The views of non-Abrahamic religions
Hinduism
Hindus are taught to act fairly and help others (dharma). Treating everyone well and helping society is a way to reach moksha (liberation).
Sikhism
Sikhs believe everyone is equal because God created all people. They serve others through seva (selfless service), like providing free meals in a langar, to show fairness and equality.
Buddhism
Buddhists see that everyone suffers (dukkha). They practice compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness (metta). Helping others and acting fairly reduces suffering and creates good karma, supporting progress to enlightenment (nirvana).
What do the Abrahamic religions say about social justice?
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all teach that social justice is important because all people are equal in value by virtue of being created by God. Social injustice occurs when people are treated in ways that do not respect this equal worth.
Old Testament
The Old Testament teaches that everyone is equal in value because we are all created in the image of God:
"So God created humankind in his own image." (Genesis 1)
If everyone is of equal value, then society should be structured to reflect and respect that equality. Social justice is achieved when the inherent worth of every person is recognised and upheld.
Jesus
Jesus
The principle of equality can be seen in the second of Jesusâ âgreatest commandmentsâ (the first being to love God):
âLove your neighbour as yourself.â (Mark 12)
This teaching is often linked to the idea of agape, which means selfless, unconditional love. If someone truly loves their neighbour, they would not want them to be treated unfairly or unjustly, so this command supports the importance of social justice.
Torah / Old Testament
In teaching the importance of loving oneâs neighbour, Jesus was echoing a key Jewish teaching from the Torah:
âLove your neighbour as yourself.â (Leviticus 19)
This shows that the principle of treating others with equal love and respect is central to Judaism as well as Christianity. If people recognise that others are worthy of the same love they have for themselves, they should support social justice in order to promote equality and fairness in society.
St Paul
In the years following Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, Paul wrote letters to new Christian communities. To the Christians in Galatia, he wrote the following powerful statement of equality:
âThere is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.â (Galatians 3)
This teaching shows that, in Christianity, a personâs ethnicity, social status, or gender does not affect their value before God. As a result, many Christians believe this supports social justice, as all people should be treated equally and with dignity.
Qur'an
Islam teaches that all people are equal in value because they are all created by Allah. The Qurâan emphasises justice (adl) and fairness, and Muslims are required to care for others, especially the poor and vulnerable.
The Qurâan teaches:
âO mankind, We created you from a single pair of a male and a female⊠the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous.â (Qurâan 49)
For many Muslims, promoting social justice is therefore a way of obeying Allah and putting Islamic teachings into practice. One of the Five Pillars of Islam, Zakah, requires Muslims to give money to help those in need, which helps to reduce inequality and social injustice.
What do religious believers do to promote social justice?
Religious believers act to reduce social injustice and promote social justice by working to create a fairer society in which the equality of every member of society is recognised. As a result, any example of social injustice presents an opportunity for religious believers to act.
Charity work â Religious believers may support charities that help people affected by social injustice. This might involve working for a charity, donating money, or giving their time by volunteering or fundraising. Charities that aim to combat social injustice include those that help people living in poverty (such as food banks) or organisations that support people affected by discrimination (such as Amnesty International).
Action â Religious believers may campaign or peacefully protest against laws or practices they believe are unfair or discriminatory in order to promote equality and justice.
Prayer â Religious believers may pray for those who are suffering as a result of social injustice, or ask God to guide politicians and leaders to improve access to justice and equality in society.
Take it further - Liberation Theology
In South America, one influential Christian movement that promoted social justice was Liberation Theology. This movement developed in the mid-20th century and focused on the needs of the poor and oppressed. Supporters of the movement argued that Christianity should actively challenge injustice, poverty, and inequality. They believed that governments and societies had a moral responsibility to improve living conditions and protect human dignity, especially for the poorest members of society.
Take it further - social justice and politics
Left-wing politics
Left-of-centre politicians tend to believe that social justice requires policies that increase opportunities for the less well off and those who have been previously marginalised. For example, they often support free healthcare and education so that a personâs ability to pay does not disadvantage them.
Right-wing politics
Right-of-centre politicians tend to believe that social justice is best promoted by allowing individuals to achieve through their own efforts rather than relying on government support. From this view, social justice emphasises personal responsibility over state intervention.
exam watch
Explain two religious reasons why social justice is important. (6 marks)
The views of non-Abrahamic religions
Hinduism
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that one of the paths to moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth) is to follow dharma, which includes acting selflessly and treating others with fairness and respect.
Hindus are encouraged to see the same divine reality (Brahman) in all living beings and to promote the welfare of others. For many Hindus, working for social justice is therefore a way of living out their dharma and moving closer to moksha.
Sikhism
Sikhism teaches that all human beings are equal because everyone is created by the same God. The Guru Granth Sahib emphasises equality and the importance of serving others through seva (selfless service).
Sikhs are encouraged to work for the welfare of all people, regardless of gender, caste, or social status. For many Sikhs, promoting social justice is a way of living according to Godâs will and showing equality in practice, for example through the langar, which provides free meals to everyone.
Buddhism
Buddhism teaches that all people experience suffering (dukkha) and are equal in this respect. The Buddha taught compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness (metta) towards all living beings. Buddhists believe that acting selflessly and treating others fairly helps reduce suffering and creates good karma, which supports progress towards enlightenment (nirvana).
For many Buddhists, promoting social justice is therefore a way of showing compassion and helping to reduce suffering in the world.
exam watch
Explain two religious beliefs about social justice. (4 marks)