Justice, in its broadest sense, is the concept that individuals are to be treated in a manner that is equitable and fair.

A society in which justice has been achieved would be one in which individuals receive what they "deserve". The interpretation of what "deserve" means draws on a variety of fields and philosophical branches including ethics, rationality, law, religion, equity and fairness. The state may be said to pursue justice by operating courts and enforcing their rulings.

History

A variety of philosophical and moral theories have been advanced to inform understanding of justice.

Early theories of justice were set out by the Ancient Greek philosophers Plato, in his work The Republic, and Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics.

Religious explanations of justice can be grouped under the divine command theory, which holds that justice issues from God.

Western thinkers later advanced different theories about where the foundations of justice lie. In the 17th century, philosophers such as John Locke said justice derives from natural law. Social contract theory, advocated by thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, says that justice derives from the mutual agreement of members of society to be governed in a political order.