Inequality CCBE

Study Notes

Justice is a key concept in evaluating human behavior, economic decisions, and social orders.
The principle of "equal should be treated equally and unequal should be treated unequally" is often used.
However, applying this principle in real-world situations can be complex due to varying interpretations of what constitutes "equal" and "unequal" treatment.

Supports distributing resources to meet basic needs.
Emphasizes equal rights and human dignity.
Guarantees a minimum level of basic needs fulfillment.
Examples include unconditional basic income and social safety nets aiming to prevent poverty.
There is debate about the definition of basic needs and what constitutes luxury goods.

Rewards individuals based on their contributions.
Examples include pension schemes that link retirement benefits to contributions during working life.
Fair in the sense that unequal contributions should result in unequal compensation.
Challenges include objectively assessing and measuring the value of contributions.

A specific form of performance-based justice where market forces determine fairness.
Wages and compensation are determined by market demand and supply.
For example, a cook's earnings are based on restaurant patronage and customer willingness to pay.
High wages in investment banking and low wages in care jobs can be considered fair under this concept, as market demand dictates these disparities.
This approach emphasizes market outcomes and not necessarily individual efforts.

Justice provides criteria to evaluate human behavior, economic decisions, and social orders.
The principle of equality states that equals should be treated equally and unequals should be treated unequally.
Different situations and varying concepts of justice influence how justice is assessed.

Favors a distribution of resources that prioritize basic needs.
Assumes equal rights and human dignity, guaranteeing a minimal or appropriate coverage of basic needs.
Examples include unconditional basic income and the Austrian “bedarfsorientierte Mindestsicherung,” aiming to ensure societal participation.
The definition of basic needs versus luxury goods is blurry.
The concept of needs-based justice extends beyond traditional basic needs to include essential psychological aspects - autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Remuneration should be based on individual contributions.
Examples include the Austrian pension scheme, where higher contributions during working life result in larger pensions.
Unequal pay is seen as fair for unequal contributions.
The challenge is to determine and objectively measure valuable contributions.

A special form of performance-based justice where market forces determine objectivity.
Pay is not based on training or experience but on market demand and consumer willingness to pay.
This perspective justifies disparities in salaries between high-demand professions (like investment banking) and low-demand professions (like care jobs), arguing that market forces dictate fair compensation.