Social injustice

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Social Injustice is a concept relating to the unfairness or injustice of a society in its divisions of rewards and burdens. The concept is distinct from those of justice in law, which may or may not be considered moral in practice. Opposition to social injustice is increasingly a platform of emerging political parties. Social injustice arises when equals are treated unequally and unequals are treated equally. (Aristotle's principle of injustice)

Historically, authors have used literature to denounce or to satirize perceived social injustices in their societies. Some examples are Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Dario Fo, Minfong Ho, Victor Hugo, James A. Michener, Harold Pinter, Upton Sinclair, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oscar Wilde, Alan Paton, and George Orwell.

Social injustice is caused by certain barriers that prevent full social justice. Some of the major barriers include: prejudice, discrimination, oppression, racism, classism, ableism, ageism, anti-semitism, sexism and heterosexism. Over the last 30-40 years, most social injustice in the US and the world has been based on economic class, and the lack middle class and working class access to non-violent mechanisms for reform. In order to fully overcome social injustice these barriers must be removed from our society and differences must be embraced.