Forum Post: Social Justice

Social Justice, enshrined as the idea of Equal Representation in the US Constitution, is the animating ideal of the Occupy Movement.

The march of Social Justice is a long one...

Hammurabi constrained his otherwise limitless power to simple, predictable responses to certain crimes, and created the presumption of innocence. His laws increased social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

The Magna Carta decreased the limitless, arbitrary power of the King, created the notion of due process, thus increased social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

The Declaration of Independence rejected British rule, reserved power to the many colonies, thus increased social by justice limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

The Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves, made them equal to their former masters, thus increased social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

Gandhi cast off a foreign monarchy, fathered a democratic country, thus increased social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

Martin Luther King, Jr. won civil rights for African Americans, thus increased social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

The Arab Spring is replacing dictators with democracies, thus is increasing social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

The Occupy Movement, one more step in the long march, seeks to increase social justice by limiting the power of the wealthy, ruling elite.

Yes, the details in each case differ, but in every case a more equitable, egalitarian distribution of power was achieved.

In every case, the wealthy, ruling elite could trot out endless speakers to defend the status quo, denigrate the powerless, and prove that any change to the status quo would result in the end of civilization, or at least end its most perfect form yet achieved. Yet here we are, debating the form of the next step.