Justice – A Virtue for Business?

In reading the modern literature on management leadership and business ethics, it appears that the virtue of justice receives little discussion.  Aristotle stated that ‘all virtue is summed up in dealing justly’.  Ben Franklin stated that in regard to justice “wrong none by doing injuries or by omitting the benefits that are your duty”.

Is justice a virtue for the modern business leader?  Here are thoughts from a few others.

Justice in the Workplace. A just employer will pay their employees what they deserve. A just CEO won’t take a pay raise when his company loses money and when the company does make money, he will spread some of that wealth down to the workers who helped make that profit possible. Just employers also don’t cut corners, and don’t try to get their employees to work overtime without pay. They don’t try to cheat their employees out of benefits they have earned. In turn, just employees don’t cheat their employer by goofing off when they are being paid to work. They don’t call in sick when they are really nursing a hangover or simply playing hooky. (The Art of Manliness, The Virtuous Life: Justice, 2008)

Here is another perspective on justice and business:

Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues in classical European philosophy and Roman Catholicism. It is the moderation between selfishness and selflessness.

• Justice is fair-mindedness — fair treatment and fair play.
• Justice is equity — evenness.
• Justice is a square deal — truth.
• Justice is impartiality — consistency of viewpoint and attitude.
• Justice is moral obligation — seen through to completion.

(Understanding Justice, Virtue.Info, 2011)

I think that my grandmother would agree that the virtue of justice (fairness, equity, truth, impartiality and moral obligation) were a foundation of my grandfathers’ success in business.

– from the pen of Dr. Percy Trappe