Justice as a Core Ethical Value: Principles, Practices, and Societal Implications

Abstract

Justice represents a fundamental ethical value that shapes societal structures, interpersonal relationships, and institutional frameworks across cultures. This research examines justice through its philosophical foundations, practical applications, and societal consequences in contemporary contexts. The study employs a quantitative methodology utilizing survey data from 384 respondents across urban and rural India to assess perceptions of justice in legal, social, and economic domains. Hypotheses propose that justice perceptions significantly correlate with institutional trust, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status. Results indicate that 67.3% of respondents perceive significant gaps between theoretical justice principles and practical implementation, particularly in judicial systems (mean satisfaction score: 4.2/10). Distributive justice concerns dominate among lower-income groups (78.4%), while procedural justice matters more to educated populations (71.6%). The study reveals that institutional trust positively correlates with perceived justice delivery (r=0.682, p<0.001). Discussion contextualizes findings within India's pluralistic framework, highlighting challenges in balancing equality with equity. The research concludes that strengthening procedural transparency, reducing systemic biases, and enhancing accessibility to justice mechanisms are critical for actualizing justice as a lived ethical value rather than an abstract ideal.