Need or desire? A review of Justice as a basic human need

Thanks to the frequent use of the term in the Performance Based Research Funding initiative, world-class is now one of the favourite adjectives of New Zealand's vice-chancellors. But here is a book that is genuinely world-class, written largely by local authors and edited by the indefatigable A.J.W. (Tony) Taylor. He, of course, is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington and he has included many of his colleagues there as contributors. This is fitting, since Vic has built an excellent academic reputation around the theme of justice, not just in forensic psychology, but in criminology, public policy, and the law. Their Crime and Justice Research Centre has deservedly achieved an international reputation. The present work, therefore, has an impeccable scholarly pedigree and is broad in its coverage: philosophy, religion, developmental and social psychology, therapeutic processes, and human rights have all been found a place. There is something especially timely about a major work on justice coming out now, with the Western world--largely the United States-facing accusations of double standards and hypocrisy, with the indelible stain of Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and the slow response (September, 2008) of the American Psychological Association to deter its members from participating in interrogations at detention centres. Thus it was particularly prescient to include a chapter specifically devoted to issues of torture, especially as the key focus relates to treatment of torture victims. As a psychotherapist based in London, Paul Burns is able to offer valuable insights into the work of specific organisations offering support to political refugees. While we accept that empirical work in this area would be challenging, the absence of any sort of data or evaluation research is the only regrettable element. New Zealand, while playing rather far from the world's Centre Court, has its own controversies and inconsistencies: the pioneering work on restorative justice on the one hand and the perpetration of blatantly unfair legislation such as the Foreshore and Seabed Act (2004) on the other. Perhaps justice is commonly the loser when people perceive their fundamental interests are being threatened. And so we come to one of the central questions of this book: Is justice a basic human need? Taylor's introductory chapter provides an authoritative, historical background to the topic of justice, although had he cited the work of Miller (2001) on the consequences of injustice he could have strengthened his case. Among the many interesting phenomena Miller describes are studies showing that if plaintiffs win their case without a lengthy court hearing in which they could argue their cause, they remain dissatisfied--we seem to need our day in court. It is in the second chapter by Charles Tolman (University of Victoria, Canada) where the argument is presented that justice is a fundamental condition for survival as human beings. From the perspective of moral philosophy we consciously make decisions about what is right and wrong in relationship with others and the social rules we live by. Morality, Tolman argues, is the heart of humanity, and justice makes it possible. With one of us (TY) not being brought up within Christian traditions, we found the chapter by Marshall (a theologian at VUW) an interesting overview of the Bible's teachings on the meanings of justice, albeit quite contradictory in places. However this chapter has a proselytising fervour to it that sits uncomfortably with psychology. Consider the last two lines: know this God is to learn about the meaning of justice. To love this God is to join in God's great campaign to restore justice to the world (p. 37). Evolutionary psychology has a completely different take on the matter. Empathy (caring for each other), fair distribution of resources, respect for earned rights, and the exercise of power only to uphold agreed upon rules all had fundamental survival value within small social groups--families sharing a cave, clans travelling together, or tribes demarcating territory. …

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