What is a Just and Humane Society

 Towards a Just and Humane Society

Without a clear and shared definition of what we mean by a “just and humane society,” we risk the concept disintegrating into slogans or vague ideals. A precise description makes it possible to test policies, evaluate institutions, and conduct societal debates in a shared language. It prevents misunderstandings and creates a framework in which moral, political, and legal choices can be weighed.

 

Definition

A just and humane society is:

A community in which the dignity of every individual is recognized and protected by institutions that balance freedom, equality, solidarity, and responsibility, with the aim of enhancing human well-being and ensuring equal participation in political, social, and economic life—within an open and democratic order.

This is not an optional statement but one grounded in centuries of philosophical debate and in fundamental insights from religious, moral, and political traditions.

 

Rawls: Justice as the First Virtue

John Rawls argued that “justice is the first virtue of social institutions.” Justice, according to him, is the standard by which every societal system must be measured. His veil-of-ignorance thought experiment forces us to design rules we would accept even if we did not know our place in society. From this follow three pillars:

1. Inalienable basic freedoms for all,
2. Equal opportunities,
3. Inequalities only allowed when they strengthen the least advantaged.

 

Bentham: The Utility of Legislation

Jeremy Bentham formulated another principle: “The greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Laws only make sense when they increase happiness and reduce suffering. He emphasizes measurable consequences: policy must be judged on well-being, health, safety, and connectedness. Where Rawls sets principled boundaries to protect the weakest, Bentham accepts inequality as long as overall well-being improves. The tension between principles and outcomes is real—but fruitful: both must go hand in hand.

 

Hegel: Freedom in Community

For G.W.F. Hegel, freedom is not an abstract absence of coercion but “concrete freedom” realized within family, society, and state. “The state is the actuality of concrete freedom.” Freedom becomes real only when institutions create the conditions for human flourishing. Individual rights and social responsibility are thus inseparably linked.

 

Lefort: The Empty Place of Power

Claude Lefort warned against the opposite danger: power being monopolized by a state or group. Democracy, he argued, exists thanks to the “empty place of power”—an open space where opposition, alternation, and plurality remain possible. Where Hegel emphasizes integration, Lefort reminds us democracy thrives on uncertainty, checks on power, and minority rights.

 

Arendt: The Right to Have Rights

Hannah Arendt provided another foundation: “The essence of human rights is the right to have rights.” Human rights only truly exist when every person is recognized as a legal and political subject. Without recognition, groups—such as refugees or the stateless—fall outside the community. A just society begins with inclusion: no one may be excluded from the right to have rights.

 

Religious Traditions and Compassion

Religions offer a different perspective. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam see dignity as inherent because humans are created in the image of God. Buddhism emphasizes compassion: “Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.” Despite differences, they converge on the core idea: every human being has intrinsic worth and deserves respect.

The strength of the proposed definition lies in its tensions: Rawls’ fairness of starting points versus Bentham’s focus on outcomes; Hegel’s faith in the state versus Lefort’s suspicion of centralized power; Arendt’s insistence on inclusion correcting Rawls’ abstraction. These tensions are not weaknesses but the very essence of a mature democratic state governed by the rule of law. They force us into ongoing balancing, testing, and reflection.

 

Essential Concepts for Practice

The great thinkers of philosophy, religion, and law converge in a set of core concepts that guide practice. These are not abstract ideals but practical conditions for making society truly just and humane.

 

Dignity – Every Person Counts

Every human being has intrinsic value. Dignity means no one may be treated as a means or object. As Arendt reminded us: human rights begin with “the right to have rights.” In practice: a refugee must not be seen merely as a burden but as a person with rights and potential; the elderly and disabled deserve respectful treatment regardless of economic productivity. Without dignity, society loses its moral foundation.

 

Freedom – Rights and Opportunities

Freedom is more than absence of coercion; it is both individual rights and social opportunities. Rawls emphasized inalienable freedoms like speech, belief, and privacy. Hegel added that freedom becomes real in community, where the state creates conditions for human development. Example: a young person with access to education and housing can genuinely participate. Freedom without social conditions remains empty, serving only the privileged.

 

Equality – Fair Opportunities

Equality means not sameness but equal chances and protection against discrimination. Rawls’ difference principle allows inequality only if it improves the position of the least advantaged—for instance, through progressive taxation. Bentham, however, would accept inequality if it increases overall happiness. True equality requires both principled protection (Rawls) and pragmatic outcome evaluation (Bentham).

Solidarity and Empathy – Caring for Each Other

No society can exist without mutual care. Religious traditions have long emphasized this. Solidarity means the strong support the weak, not only out of duty but out of shared humanity. Empathy makes this tangible: the ability to place ourselves in others’ shoes—like citizens sheltering Ukrainian refugees or local initiatives caring for the elderly. Bentham’s idea reappears: laws matter only if they reduce suffering and increase happiness.

 

Responsibility – Freedom Demands Accountability

Freedom exists only with responsibility. Citizens must contribute to their community, and institutions must act transparently and carefully. Lefort stressed: power must never be unquestioned; democracy depends on accountability. Governments that fail in benefits or asylum cases must answer for their mistakes.

 

Democratic Openness – Space for Difference

Finally, democracy requires openness: tolerating difference, allowing opposition, and keeping power under constant scrutiny. Lefort called this “the empty place of power.” No group may permanently own the state. In practice: free press, independent judiciary, minority protections. Without openness, democracy becomes majority dictatorship.

 

Interconnectedness

These core concepts reinforce each other and cannot exist in isolation.

• Dignity without freedom is hollow.
• Freedom without equality becomes privilege.
• Equality without empathy turns cold and bureaucratic.
• Democratic openness without responsibility descends into chaos.

Together, dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, responsibility, and openness form the foundation of a society that seeks to be both just and humane.

 

Conclusion: A Call to Action

A just and humane society is not a final state but an ongoing task. It requires testing laws against well-being and justice, putting human dignity at the center of institutions, ensuring no one is excluded, and making solidarity and empathy guiding principles for action and policy.

In simple words:

A society is just and humane if every person counts, if freedom and equality are balanced, and if we care for those who are vulnerable.

The compass of humanity and justice points the way. But direction alone is not enough—we must also walk the path. The future of our society depends on the choices we make today.