Conceptual Foundation of Social Policy: Dignity, Justice, Equality

Abstract

Modern sociology places dignity and justice at the center of social debate. In estatebased societies only the aristocrats possessed the right to dignity and honor. The article analyzes these concepts as elements of the general structure of meaning underlying the institutions of modern societies. However, the progress of society conducive to their entry into the state of modernity the right to dignity kept extending towards an ever greater number of citizens. Dignity became an element of the policy of equality that tended to override the line of distinction charted by estates or other social subjects. In the early years of equalization policy, the struggle of dignity and equality assumed the form of recognition of the so-called natural rights of man, that constituted the essence of human condition. The idea of natural rights led to a debate and later to policy measures that resulted in the modern concept of citizenship. The latter asserted the right of every human being to dignity, equality before law and freedom to engage in productive, entrepreneurial activity without interference from other actors of political or economic life. The idea of equality, embedded in citizenship, came to be expressed in the policy of inclusion that overcame social prejudice and consequently in policies that extended political recognition to ever wider social groups. In the 20th century the egalitarian policy led to a wider scope of social rights that were regarded as a necessary condition of social justice and human independence. At present the principles of dignity and justice are implemented in social policy as acquired “capabilities” — a sum of life forces and means that allow citizens to uphold their citizenship regardless of the conditions in which they find themselves. Inclusion turns into the main vector of social policy, setting out to endow citizens with equal rights and resources that are necessary for their implementation.