Social justice
Social Justice
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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.
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 because all people are equal in value by virtue of being created by God. [See Equality] Social injustice occurs when people are treated in ways that fail to respect this equal worth.
Social justice means structuring society so that everyone’s dignity, rights, and needs are recognised and upheld. If everyone is of equal value, then fairness and protection from discrimination should guide how individuals and communities are treated.
EXAM WATCH
Explain two religious beliefs about social justice. (4 marks)
Christianity
Jesus - the greatest commandment (Mark 12)
The principle of equality is shown in Jesus’ second greatest commandment:
“Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mark 12)
Jesus taught that everyone is a neighbour, regardless of religion, race, or social status, meaning all people deserve equal love and respect.
If someone truly loves their neighbour, they would not want them to be treated unfairly or unjustly. This commandment therefore supports the importance of social justice by encouraging believers to challenge injustice and work for fairness.
Judaism
Torah - love your neighbour
In teaching the importance of loving one’s neighbour, Jesus was echoing a key Jewish teaching from the Torah:
“Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Leviticus 19)
This shows that working for social justice is central to Judaism. The command to love others as oneself means that people should act fairly, protect human dignity, and challenge injustice. No person’s life, needs, or rights are more important than another’s, which supports the principle of social justice.
Islam
Obedience to Allah
For many Muslims, promoting social justice is a way of obeying Allah and putting Islamic teachings into practice. One of the Five Pillars, Zakah, requires Muslims to give money to help those in need, reducing inequality and protecting the rights and welfare of disadvantaged people.
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.
For many Hindus, working to challenge injustice, support those who are disadvantaged, and promote fairness in society is a way of living out their dharma and creating a more just world, as well as progressing spiritually towards moksha.
Sikhism
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 God’s will and showing equality in practice, for example through the langar, which provides free meals to everyone.
Buddhism
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.
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 dignity and equality of every person is recognised. Any example of injustice provides an opportunity for believers to take action.
EXAM WATCH
State one thing a religious believer might do to promote social justice. (1 mark)
Charity work – Believers may support charities that help people affected by poverty, discrimination, or social exclusion. This can include volunteering, donating money, or fundraising, and helps to ensure that everyone has access to basic needs and opportunities.
Action – Believers may campaign, petition, or peacefully protest against laws or practices they believe are unfair, promoting equality and justice in society.
Prayer – Believers may pray for those who are suffering or ask God to guide leaders to make fairer laws. Prayer reinforces the commitment to social justice and motivates believers to act on behalf of others.
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 person’s 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.
Why is social justice important?
EXAM WATCH
Explain two religious reasons why social justice is important. (6 marks)
The Abrahamic religions teach that social justice is important for two key reasons.
God's will
Social justice is important because it reflects God’s will. In Judaism and Christianity, all humans are created in the image of God, and in Islam all people are created by Allah from a single origin. These teachings show that every person has equal value given by God. [See Equality] Because God values all people equally, society should be fair and just, ensuring that no group is oppressed or treated unfairly. Acting for social justice means living in the way God intended.
The holy books of the Abrahamic religions each contain specific teachings on justice.
This is the Bible:
The Lord loves righteousness and justice" (Psalm 33)
As does the Torah:
“Justice, justice you shall pursue.” (Deuteronomy 16)
And the Qur'an:
“Allah commands justice and good conduct.” (Surah 16)
Preventing harm and injustice
All religions teach that a lack of social justice causes real harm to individuals and communities. When people are denied fairness or equal opportunities because of race, gender, religion, or social status, this can lead to discrimination, poverty, and violence. These are clear examples of injustice.
Because every person has equal value, working for social justice is seen as a moral duty. It protects human dignity and helps create trust, peace, and harmony within society.