WHAT IS SOCIAL JUSTICE?

Some feel vaguely uncomfortable about the distinction that still remains to
be drawn between the terms "social action" and "social justice." these are not particularly good terms, they're misleading and obscuring, but we're apparently stuck with them, and now that they've taken hold we're forced to impose some sort of meaning upon them.

Here's one way to characterize the distinction that is emerging from vigorous debate on this issue. "Social Action" describes the provision of direct assistance to those who have fallen through the cracks in the social infrastructure; whereas "Social Justice" concerns attempts to repair those cracks and to expand the infrastructure to include everyone.

The difference is roughly similar to that between retail and wholesale. It is primarily a difference in perspective. Where Social Action sees needs and attempts to fill them, Social Justice sees root causes for those needs and seeks to correct or eradicate them.

here is one of the best definitions of Social Justice:

"Equitable access to resources and the benefits derived from them; a system that recognizes inalienable rights and adheres to what is fair, honest, and moral."

That definition implies that Social Justice requires us to seek out and confront institutional inequity and deception, which in turn means that Social Justice is an inherently political process--its greatest distinction from Social Action.

Sometimes there is a smooth transition from one to the other: an individual who has volunteered time to a hospital (Social Action) becomes disturbed by the institution's practices and sets about to change them by petitioning the administrators or by complaining to a government agency (social justice). But more often than not there are such stark philosophical differences between practitioners of the two processes that they rarely cross paths.

Nevertheless, and despite occasional misunderstandings that arise between their adherents, Social Action and Social Justice are fraternal twins, coequal and both vitally necessary. And since they have no natural hierarchical relationship, neither can successfully be placed in the other's context.