Doğu Ergil wrote: The unbreakable bond between justice and morality

The relationship between justice and morality is at the heart of contemporary political philosophy, legal theory and the understanding of social order. These two concepts are fundamental not only in theory but also in everyday life and civic practice. However, it has become increasingly clear, especially in recent years, that this relationship has weakened and that the rupture of this bond is at the root of political and legal collapses in some societies.

Justice, although often identified with law, has a meaning beyond law. Because law is not always just; history is full of seemingly legitimate injustices. This is where morality comes into play. Morality functions as a set of values ​​that enable individuals and societies to distinguish between what is “good” and “right” through intuitive or rational means. Therefore, the existence of a just order depends not only on the existence of laws, but also on the fact that those laws are based on a moral foundation.

On the other hand, morality also weakens in an unjust environment. The continuity of moral norms depends on the existence of a certain sense of trust, the principle of fairness and the belief in equality in society. If individuals witness that the mechanism of justice does not work, that the powerful always win and that the law is applied arbitrarily, they tend to move away from moral values ​​over time . Thus, the absence of justice erodes morality.

The fact that these two principles are closely connected forces us to think about their source. Neither justice nor morality are simply rules granted by the state or imposed by a higher authority. On the contrary, they are the product of mutual responsibility among citizens, the ideal of common life and the will to exist together . Unwritten contracts as well as written constitutions, ethical principles constructed through the filter of social conscience and historical experiences form the basis of this structure.

The crisis we face today in societies where justice and morality are eroding together is not only a problem of the rule of law, but also a crisis of citizenship and ethics. Therefore, efforts to re-establish justice should not be limited to legal reforms; they should also aim for a comprehensive transformation that strengthens the ethical fabric of society, reinforces common values, and increases the sense of responsibility.

In conclusion, understanding the relationship between justice and morality is not only a philosophical but also a practical necessity. These two values ​​exist together, rise together and fall together. Therefore , the search for a more just world will remain incomplete unless it is based on a sense of moral responsibility.

Summary

This article examines the interdependence between justice and morality (ethics) and addresses the crises created by the weakening of this relationship in contemporary societies. It argues that justice should be based not only on legal norms but also on moral principles; it argues that crises in the rule of law are mostly the result of an ethical rupture. It emphasizes that a concept of justice that is not nourished by moral responsibility is not sustainable.

Key words: Justice, morality, ethics, rule of law, citizenship, social contract

Justice and morality are the two oldest and most fundamental concepts of political and social thought. From Plato to the present day, thinkers have developed various theories on the meaning, source and relationship of these two concepts. However, in the modern age, the concept of justice, especially identified with law, has gradually moved away from its moral dimension. This article discusses how justice becomes dysfunctional and social order begins to disintegrate when it is isolated from morality.

1. Moral Foundations of Justice

The idea that justice is related not only to legal norms but also to moral norms is a common denominator for many thinkers from Aristotle to Rawls. According to Aristotle, justice can be defined as “the totality of moral virtues” (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book V). In his work A Theory of Justice (1971), John Rawls argues that justice can only be considered legitimate when it is based on a “just initial situation” and that this is possible with moral principles such as equal respect and reciprocity.

In other words, justice is a matter of value-based moral responsibility as much as it is a matter of distribution. Not only the application of norms but also the ethical basis on which these norms are produced and legitimized is important.

Social morality cannot be considered independently of the justice mechanism. In environments where injustices become systematic and the legal mechanism loses its legitimacy, individuals lose their faith that justice will be provided, and this brings about moral corruption. As Thomas Hobbes puts it in Leviathan, “where there is no justice, there can be no moral obligation.”

In this context, the collapse of justice does not only mean the inoperability of the law; it also points to the moral disintegration of the social fabric. Because values ​​such as trust between individuals, the expectation of fairness and reciprocity can only be sustained in a functioning justice system.

1. Citizenship, Contract and Common Ethical Ground

The common ground of justice and morality is civic ethics. As Jürgen Habermas stated in his Theory of Communicative Action, social consensus is possible not only through rational negotiation but also through a “common ethical framework” (Habermas, 1984). This framework is established beyond written law, through unwritten social contracts. The responsibility that individuals bear towards each other is nourished by ethical principles rather than laws.

Therefore, the sustainability of justice depends on the moral culture of citizenship and ethical responsibility. The legal regulations of the state gain meaning on this basis; otherwise, authoritarianism and arbitrariness are inevitable.

There is an unbreakable bond between justice and morality. When this bond is weakened, neither the law nor an ethical life in society can be sustained. Therefore, the establishment of a state governed by the rule of law requires not only institutional reforms but also civil and cultural policies that strengthen the ethical fabric of society and reinforce common life values. Justice in the true sense can only exist together with a sense of moral responsibility.