The idea of social justice often focuses on protecting people from losing the financial positions they have become used to. Many individuals believe it is unfair when their expected wealth is suddenly taken away, especially if they could not control what happened. This belief that long-held positions create a right to maintain their income is very common, but it does not always have a strong basis in true social justice principles. When a group of people finds their income reduced due to unexpected events, this is often seen as unjust, leading to feelings of resentment.
The market operates on a system of constant adjustments, which can sometimes lead to hardship for certain groups, but this is necessary for the well-being of society as a whole. People often feel they deserve their income because of their hard work, but this belief can be misleading. In reality, in a market system, we all receive benefits that we didn’t actually earn, and we must also accept losses that seem undeserved. Society isn’t a single person making decisions; it is made up of individuals who follow certain rules.
When someone asks for protection against losing their established income, it can deny others the opportunities that have allowed them to succeed. Demands for protection of these positions are privileges that cannot be given to everyone and can harm those who benefit from a changing market. Meeting such demands can favor powerful organized groups and might go against the overall interests of society, leading to a conflict between the needs of these strong groups and the general good. Therefore, many calls for social justice may actually prioritize the interests of certain groups rather than promoting true fairness for all.