Contrasting Theories of Global Justice

Abstract

Theories of global justice fall into four main perspectives: realism, particularism, social contractarianism (society of states), and cosmopolitanism. But health justice remains largely unheeded in these justice theories. More recently, some theorists have turned to health; the perspective most frequently used to ground health obligations is the human rights view. Yet all these frameworks fall short of providing the necessary normative foundation for global health justice. Nor does global bioethics as a discipline address global health justice adequately. Health-sphere actors—global, state, and non-state—need to understand their interests more comprehensively. A more fully developed moral framework and ethical guidelines are essential if health-sphere actors are to tackle global health problems effectively.