Is Social Justice Theoretical?
IN PRACTICE IT’S POWER & ECONOMICS
For ages, learned philosophers and scholars have written about social justice. At least three centuries later, we all over the world are still burning the midnight oil to seek a true north definition of 'social justice'.
We will never be able to find one, as there is none. Societies have transformed themselves to accommodate a change in the name of social justice. They were driven by economics.
Here are a few examples in favour of my argument.
The UK lured migrants from impoverished countries like Jamaica in the late 60s. They were transported in ships with the promise of a good life. It was not with the idea to bring equality in British colonies but to fulfil the gap in a labour shortage.
This generation, called ‘Windrush’, after the ship that ferried them, were not even properly documented.
The plight of the Windrush generation came to light when many of them were deported back to Jamaica after spending 40 years in the UK. Many were born in the UK and had never been to Jamaica.
The US and allies fought a 2-decade long war in Afghanistan and a lengthy one in Iraq. The allies wanted to fight the evil and bring justice to victims of 9/11.
In the process, it was also meant to relieve these countries from the clutches of dictatorship. Thousands of precious young soldiers laid their lives. Today, the condition of Iraq is pathetic, and it is not peaceful. The fabric of the country and culture is ripped apart.
There is a peace treaty being negotiated with the Taliban in Afghanistan, while the country is pierced with deaths and bombs so often. Trillions lost on all sides does not even get a mention.
So, where is the cause of social justice for which all these mammoth sacrifices have been dumped in this 21st century?
In big cities of India like Delhi and Mumbai, a sizable population continues to live in inhumane conditions. Next door to this cluster of million shanties is fancy high-rise offices.
No one wants to try to replace these shanties with better housing and living conditions. The answer lies in the economic output from these localities.
Either the population is working for low paid menial jobs in those fancy houses and buildings or working in shabby cottage factories. These factories, with 17th-century safety standards, produce essential goods for all.
Like leather wallets, waist belts, shoelaces, cutlery etc., many items of daily use are cheaply made here. Many items are exported too.
These shanties are also home to a bakery and packaged foods like pickles and biscuits. While the economic gains will suffice, the idea of decent human dwelling will be on the back burner.
These are just a few high-level cases to set forth the argument that it is power economics all the way.
World history, both modern and not so modern, are laden with the sole purpose of achieving economic goals.
In principle, society is supposed to be constructed with equality and ethics. Many in the population across the world feel strongly about it, but few are driven to implement it. Hence, social justice is mostly a theoretical exercise.
Last year in 2019, the world over, the pressure group called Extinction Rebellion held city lockdown protests. Even those who are suffering due to the high cost of food and pollution due to climate change failed to support the movement.
Since these protests were hurting their business, mostly small ones, they were against the pressure tactic of lockdown.
In the most developed countries like the USA and UK, equal pay for men and women for the same job is still a dream. Imagine two anchors, one male and another female, sitting next to each other during a prime time show. Both earn differently, and the pay gap could be 4 to 5 times.
Yes, employees can go the court and appeal for justice, but that is not expected in 21st century developed countries. So much for prevalent gender equality.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague is supposed to be the epitome of justice. According to research by the University of Chicago, law school, judges are biased when it comes to cases against their home country.
Powerful countries tend to disobey the verdict, and war crimes cases have been only against African leaders.
Somehow leaders of developed countries have evaded ICJ.
Those global organizations that are in the business of charity themselves are a commercial powerhouse. They use the influence of famous personalities to lure the public to feel good about themselves emotionally.
The personalities endorsing those organizations are doing so at a price tag of millions of dollars and not for charity. Their CEOs are paid in millions and probably fly a private jet.
To rephrase, they are in the business of raising free money from donors. Social causes just happen to be the outcome.
It is well understood that charities also require money to run their administration. But this argument raises serious ethical issues when across the board, the act of charity becomes secondary and few in those organization become rich at the cost of donations.
There are umpteen examples from fields of politics, society, economics, and governance where social justice is a distant third. The first two are power and economics, or both together.
Thus, social justice is a mirage, which all scholarly minds are chasing. The people of the real-world continue doing business as usual, whether political or economic. On the way, if social justice is incidental, the population feels lucky.
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