What is needed to achieve social justice? The three economies – people, planet and markets – must work together so that they support one another and promote social justice. For this to happen, they must be underpinned by inclusive, participative and accountable governance and by the best available knowledge. The following five principles provide a framework for achieving social justice and making sure that it endures for the future.
1. People. Aiming for sustainable social justice means ensuring a strong, healthy and just society which respects the diverse lives, needs and assets of all people now and in future generations. This is an ethical imperative, which requires the fair distribution of power, resources and opportunities to promote, as far as possible, equal life chances and well-being for all. It is also a practical necessity because a high degree of social solidarity is essential to bring about the kind radical transformation that is required for a sustainable future.
2. Planet. Essentially, social justice must respect the limits of the planet’s natural resources. This is a practical necessity as well as an ethical imperative. Measures to promote equal life chances and well-being for all must be designed so that they help people to improve their environments and to safeguard the natural resources on which human life depends, now and for future generations.
3. Markets. Social justice will always depend not only on the planet’s natural resources, but also on a strong, stable and sustainable economy in which markets play a vital role. But markets should be fostered and regulated so that they enhance rather than undermine the well-being of people and the planet. This is a practical necessity.
4. Governance. Social justice will only be achieved if it is underpinned by inclusive, participative and accountable systems of governance. This means actively engaging the creativity, energy, and diverse resources of all kinds of people, enabling them to define and realise the lives they wish to live.
5. Knowledge. Finally, efforts to promote social justice must draw upon the best available knowledge. Social policies should be built on robust evidence, where it is available, and should help to build the evidence base where it is weak. Yet policy-makers must be alive to scientific uncertainties, and pay equal attention to wisdom based on lived experience, and to the attitudes and values of people in all walks of life.