Toward a Theory of Social Justice for Public Administration How Public Administration Might Be Informed by Catholic Social Theory

• Published in: Administrative theory & praxis Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 466 - 488
• Main Author: Abel, Charles F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.12.2014; M. E. Sharpe; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Bureaucracy; Capitalism; Catholicism; Catholics; Human dignity; Morality; Praxis; Principles; Public administration; Services; Social justice; Social theories; Studies; Trust
• ISSN: 1084-1806; 1949-0461
• DOI: 10.2753/ATP1084-1806360402

Three principles of Catholic social theory suggest three principles of justice for assigning basic duties in administrative praxis. They can be derived from the fundamental moral principles of public administration and the fundamental moral principles of capitalism as expounded by Adam Smith and elaborated by subsequent theorists: First, each person participating in an administrative practice, including those affected by it, has an equal duty to seek the widest efficacious distribution of benefits and burdens that is reasonable under the circumstances (distributism). Second, no administrative function or problem may be performed or solved in a manner that disempowers either the individuals or the group accorded goods or services (subsidiarity). Finally, all administrative functions or problems must be addressed in such a manner as to develop and maintain trust and confidence among administrative agencies and the people they serve (solidarity). These principles express justice as a composite of three ideas: dignity, opportunity, and responsibility.