Aristotle’s Conception Of Justice And Its Modern Jurisprudential Legacy
- IJLLR Journal
- Sep 24
- 2 min read
Sridar Balaji. S, Sanjay Kumar. V & Sri Nivishna. G, B.A.LL.B., KMC College of Law, Tirupur.
ABSTRACT
For centuries, justice has been the central concern of legal philosophy, but few intellectuals have influenced its development more than Aristotle. Aristotle put forth a multi-layered theory of justice in his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics that included virtue, proportion, law, and fairness. Aristotle considered justice to be a social practice that upholds civic life as well as a moral virtue, in contrast to Plato, who grounded it in philosophical harmony. One of the most enduring analytical pillars of legal theory is his distinction between general justice (law-abiding virtue for the common good) and specific justice (fairness in distribution and correction). This dissertation explores the jurisprudential history of Aristotle's concept of justice from antiquity through early modern philosophy, medieval scholasticism, and current discussion.
Aristotle's model, according to the study, endures more as a structural approach than as a fixed doctrine: distributive justice informs discussions about equality and welfare; corrective justice supports contemporary tort and contract law; and equity foreshadows judicial interpretation and proportionality review. Aristotle could not have predicted the problems that contemporary legal systems face, such as global human rights frameworks, liberal pluralism, and constitutional rights. Adaptation, not adoption, is needed to bring his virtue-centered, teleological framework into line with modern commitments to neutrality and universal dignity.The reason Aristotle's legacy persists is that it gives jurists a set of methodological tools, including reciprocity in correction, proportion as a guide in distribution, and phronēsis (practical wisdom) in adjudication.
These observations continue to be crucial for handling issues of justice in the law, demonstrating that Aristotle's conception of justice, despite its historical context, still shapes 21st-century jurisprudence.
