"Social justice is justice in relation to a fair balance in the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals's rights are recognized and protected."
The obligation to work towards fairness, equality, and empowerment of marginalized and oppressed populations, and to challenge social and economic injustice.
"The concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and receive their due from society."
"The emphasis has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the creation of safety nets, and economic justice."
"Social justice assigns rights and duties in the institutions of society, which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation."
"The relevant institutions often include taxation, social insurance, public health, public school, public services, labor law and regulation of markets, to ensure distribution of wealth, and equal opportunity."
"Interpretations that relate justice to a reciprocal relationship to society are mediated by differences in cultural traditions, some of which emphasize the individual responsibility toward society and others the equilibrium between access to power and its responsible use."
"Reinterpreting historical figures such as Bartolomé de las Casas."
"Gender, ethnic, and social equality, advocating justice for migrants, prisoners, the environment, and the physically and developmentally disabled."
"Classical and Christian philosophical sources, from Plato and Aristotle to Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas."
"The term social justice finds its earliest uses in the late 18th century, albeit with unclear theoretical or practical meanings."
"The term was popularized generically through the writings of Antonio Rosmini-Serbati."
"Progressive Era American legal scholars, particularly Louis Brandeis and Roscoe Pound."
"From the early 20th century it was also embedded in international law and institutions."
"John Rawls in A Theory of Justice (1971)."
"The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action treats social justice as a purpose of human rights education."
"The use of the term was early on subject to accusations of redundancy and of rhetorical flourish."
"Luigi Taparelli coined and defined the term in a natural law social scientific treatise, establishing the natural law principle."
"Social justice is invoked today in efforts for gender, ethnic, and social equality, advocating justice for migrants, prisoners, the environment, and the physically and developmentally disabled."
"Social justice was made central to the philosophy of the social contract."
"Universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice."