Justice, Morality and Power in the Global Context

Abstract

Forst: Justice, Morality and Power in the Global Context (2005) “descriptive and normative considerations are interwoven in a complex way” 27 A ,reflective equilibrium” between “an adequate, critical assessment of our existing economic and political transnational relations and our well-considered general theories of justice and morality” For a “critical and realistic theory of global injustice as well as justice”; “in touch with reality” Failing to take into account the economic-political past and present injustice e- lead to false theories, 28 they “veil” the injustice The historical dimension and the current relations of power “no appeal to human solidarity or some vague notion of dignity is made, but rather to strict duties of justice and to rights obligations” 30 “a broader understanding of the ,minimum standard of living’ as a core criterion of justice” 31 for the realization of “minimal justice” To become an “agent of justice”; not merely a “recipient of justice” 31 “dialectic of morality”: “a good moral argument at the wrong place can turn into its opposite, into a veiling of the injustice it tries to alleviate or overcome” 32 !!! “ larger picture must start from an empirical theory of the global context of political and economic relations – c critical theory of the status quo” 33, Herf. F. Injustice race than poverty at stake !! Economic equity and democratic institutions; power as a meta-good of political and social justice, “If you do not change the power system, you do not really change a situation of injustice” 33 Neutral point of view? “to mark the most important inequalities of power, be it political or economic, one only needs to look at the way things are (….) one can also star from local ,stories’” 34, what kind of realism? Fundamental justice – a basic structure of justification; “not so minimal”; “established an efficient and fair system of justification and provides persons (and collectives) with the necessary means for that purpose” 36 Maximal justice – a fully justified basic structure to all those to whom it applies; specified within “institutions” that have to be established A veto-right be the former economically exploited and without political power; “Their story, proberly told, will be decisive in finding out what justice demands.” 36 not necessarily “progressive”! The fact of multiple domination; “The can be no global justice without internal justice, and vice versa” 36 Universal idea of justice; different kinds of struggles on behalf of it