Individual Justice in Land Redistribution: Appropriating Some Ideas from the Capability Approach

Abstract

Whereas most debates within the area of land redistribution focus on entitlements, utilitarian values of land redistribution and expanding individual liberties and rights for the formerly disadvantaged communities, my focus in this work is on the kind of life that individuals ought to live (individuals’ well-being or justice) within redistributing land, irrespective of status. I note that while expanding liberties and rights benefits the formerly disadvantaged communities, it is important to focus on the individual’s well-being, which includes the ability to convert those liberties, rights and resources to the individual’s advantage. I suggest and evaluate functionings (beings and doings) that necessarily enhance individuals to realise lives they have reason to value within land redistribution. In this endeavour, this work will be guided by the concept of justice in the Capability Approach (hereafter acronym C.A. is used), which promotes individual well-being.