Social Justice Activism

Distributive justice is an essential principle of environmental justice because there is
evidence that shows that these burdens cause health problems, negatively affect quality
of life, and drive down property value.
The potential negative social impacts of environmental degradation and regulatory
policies have been at the center environmental discussions since the rise of
environmental justice. Historically, in the United States, environmental burdens fall on
poor communities that are predominantly African-American, Native-American, Latino,
and Appalachian.
In Policy Positions
Distributive justice theory argues that societies have a duty to individuals in need and
that all individuals have a duty to help others in need. Proponents of distributive justice
link it to human rights.
Many governments are known for dealing with issues of distributive justice, especially
countries with ethnic tensions and geographically distinctive minorities.
Post-apartheid South Africa is an example of a country that deals with issues of reallocating
resources with respect to the distributive justice framework.
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Redistributive Justice is the equalization of property and wealth ownership by
direct political fiat. It includes taxation designed to move wealth from one group to
another, "land reform" and other means to promote "equality”. It is frequently associated
with Marxism, socialism, or the transition from aristocracy or other form of oligarchy to
more broadly based governments.
Justice is relative in this regard as to the beneficiary of the redistribution versus
the donor/s and may not reflect concepts of social justice. The source of the wealth to
be redistributed is therefore an important component of the actual justice of the
redistribution. Whether the donation is voluntary or being co-opted by force is a key
determination of justice. Redistributive justice is appealed to when wealth redistribution
is justified on utilitarian grounds and when these grounds are used to override individual
rights and property rights.
We [who?] should distinguish between distributive and redistributive systems. Distributive
justice is where the government has an income or an asset that it owns (e.g. oil
reserves) and it distributes the wealth as it sees fit to its concept of
justice. Redistributive justice is exercised by government through taxation or
expropriation of property. Redistributive justice removes wealth from some members of
society under the government's jurisdiction through governmental powers, for the
benefit of others whom the government determines as in need or deserving.
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