Exploring Catholic Social Teaching

equired to follow the Golden Rule, which is to treat others as we wish
to be treated — to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Jesus put it, “Do to
others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and
the prophets” ( Matt. 7:12). This command is the foundation of justice.
Distributive Justice
Sermon on the Mount by Ivan Kuzʹmich Makarov (1889).
Over the centuries, great minds have named different forms of justice. The
Church identifi es four basic expressions of this virtue: distributive justice,
legal justice, commutative justice, and social justice. Distributive justice
is the most basic form of social relations. It pertains to what any community
or social organization as a whole owes to its individual members.
This distribution is always proportionate to what the members contribute
to the common good. “Those in authority should practice distributive
justice wisely, taking account of the needs and contribution of each,
with a view to harmony and peace. They should take care that the
regulations and measures they adopt are not a source of temptation
by setting personal interest against that of the community” ( CCC
2236). Distributive justice also pertains to the just allocation of resources
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice
Christ’s command to
treat others as we wish
to be treated is the
foundation of social
justice.
Vocabulary
The Golden Rule (n.):
The rule to “do unto
others as you would have
done unto you.” In other
words, to treat others
as you would wish to be
treated. and to love your
neighbor as yourself.
Distributive Justice (n.):
The most basic form of
social relations pertaining
to what any society owes
its individual members
in proportion to their
contributions and needs.
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4 Why is following the Golden Rule
the bare minimum? How does fully
embracing God’s will go much
further? Give some examples.
Accept reasoned responses. The
Golden Rule helps us to avoid
doing anything to someone that we
don’t like and to treat them as we
ourselves desire, but love compels us
further to act on their behalf and for
their good as well.
5 How can society be better
structured toward ensuring
distributive justice toward the
poor without simply taking from
those who have more? How can
the economy better accommodate
workers? All salaries must be just in
respect to the type of work involved.
High salaries offered to attract and
retain top-performing executives
cannot come at the expense of
the wages of lower-level workers.
Public policy can also be structured
to encourage charitable giving, to
promote education, and to support
marriage, the latter two of which are
associated with better economic
outcomes.
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
© Sophia Institute for Teachers
High School Chapter: Different Types of Justice
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