Justice in Arab Society: Toward a Human Foundation for True Justice

By Jawad Amer

Justice is the cornerstone of social stability and balance. At its core, it is not merely a legal concept but a profound human value built on equality of rights and opportunities—and on an individual’s sense that the system under which they live respects their dignity. Justice means fairness and integrity in judgment and behavior, and it also means that no one is granted privilege at the expense of another without merit.

Since ancient Greek philosophy, justice has occupied the minds of thinkers as the foundation of human coexistence. The Sophists viewed it as a product of power, with laws made to serve the strong, while Plato saw it as a comprehensive system harmonizing the roles within society to prevent injustice from any side. Aristotle linked it to virtue, arguing that there can be no justice without moral conduct.

In modern times, justice evolved from a moral concept into an institutional one. Thomas Hobbes tied it to civil law; Rousseau regarded it as an innate instinct rooted in human nature, preceding any legal system; and Kant defined it as the guarantee of balance between individual freedom and the freedom of others. Hegel, in turn, viewed justice as the realization of self-consciousness in social reality—an idea that only becomes complete when transformed into practice within public life.

This philosophical evolution gave rise to a new awareness of justice as a pillar of the modern state. With Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau, and Montesquieu, justice became a defining element of political modernity, regulating the relationship between citizens and authority and establishing a social contract based on rights rather than privileges. This vision played a decisive role in Europe’s shift from feudalism and absolute monarchy to civil states governed by law and citizenship.

In contrast, justice in the Arab world remains suspended between ideal and reality. Despite its immense human and natural resources, the Arab region suffers from structural imbalances in the distribution of wealth and opportunity. The absence of social justice erodes trust in institutions, deepens divisions between social groups, and weakens national belonging—draining laws of their moral significance.

Justice is not a slogan but a daily practice. It begins in schools when educational opportunities are granted based on merit rather than favoritism; in workplaces when effort is rewarded, not loyalty; and in courts when laws are applied to all without exception. Societies that neglect these principles lose their capacity for progress because they lose their citizens’ faith in the possibility of reform.

History demonstrates that civilizations are not built by power alone, but by the justice that gives power its legitimacy. When injustice prevails, human potential shrinks and the state becomes an arena of conflict between privilege and interest. But when justice is established, it liberates individuals and restores trust in the social contract. This was the turning point of modern Europe, which realized that justice is not a moral luxury but a political and economic necessity for survival.

Justice in today’s Arab world is a postponed civilizational project. As class disparities widen and power and wealth are monopolized by a few, a growing sense of injustice spreads among large segments of society—especially among the youth, who feel their future is determined not by their abilities but by networks of influence. Hence, the recurring demands across Arab streets for dignity, equality, employment, and education are not merely political—they are expressions of a deep thirst for justice as the right to a decent life.

Achieving social justice in Arab societies requires clear political will and comprehensive institutional reform. A just society cannot exist where systems perpetuate discrimination or marginalize the vulnerable. What is needed is a fair redistribution of resources, equitable access to education, healthcare, and employment, and the reinforcement of equal opportunities across genders and social classes.

Justice also requires the active participation of civil society in oversight, planning, and implementation. The state alone cannot regulate every sphere; civil society bridges the gap between law and practice, between principle and reality. When independent institutions function freely and press freedom is protected, justice acquires practical meaning—it transforms from rhetoric into a shared culture.

Justice lives not only in constitutions but in collective behavior that rejects discrimination and corruption, and that values competence above all. When Arab citizens realize that success depends on what they know rather than whom they know, only then can a genuine transformation toward a just society begin.

Justice is not an intellectual luxury but a prerequisite for the survival of nations. Without it, societies lose balance, wealth becomes a burden, and power turns into perpetual conflict. Social justice, in essence, is the redefinition of authority and resources in a way that preserves human dignity for all. It is the principle that restores the Arab individual’s confidence in themselves and their homeland—and inspires participation in building a future grounded in equality rather than privilege, and in merit rather than allegiance.

Without justice, there can be no true freedom, no sustainable progress, and no civilization capable of enduring.

By Jawad Amer, Moroccan writer and researcher in Arabic literature, published in leading Arab journals.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely the author’s and do not represent the views of Nisaba Media.