Originally posted at Mitchell’s blog International Liberty.
Since almost everybody wants a society that is just, that presumably means we all favor “social justice.”
But in the American political system, the phrase has been adopted by those who favor bigger government and more intervention. Sort of the way “solidarity” and “social” are code words for statism in Europe.
Leftists think that this phrase gives them the moral high ground, but shouldn’t we judge “social justice” by outcomes rather than intentions?
Is statism really compassionate if it actually winds up lining the pockets of wealthy insiders?
Is statism really compassionate when it gives people an excuse to be stingy, as we see in Europe?
Is statism really compassionate when it means less long-run growth and lower living standards for ordinary people?
The answers to those questions probably depend on one’s definition of a just society.