ABSTRACT
Justice, according to John Rawls, is the dominant concept of economically advanced societies like ours where contract and private property are key characteristics. Justice is not a dominant concept in primitive societies, where duties of generosity and reciprocity reign. In many cultures, taking your neighbor’s boat or weapon when you need it is not considered stealing, since the idea of property is not well defined. Societies concerned with social justice are generally relatively stable, economically advanced communities, where private property is a dominant institution. In primitive societies, the concept of justice is related more closely to partiality and relationships than it is in our more impersonal society. For example, in a primitive society it would be wrong not to give an important job to a close relative, if one were a candidate, whereas in ours one would be charged with the crime of nepotism.
