Social Justice.

There’s a word that leaves a bad taste in many conservative’s mouths. Either that or you’re considered sacrilegious if you don’t adhere to the notion. What’s interesting, though, is that like many other ideas, this one started out meaning something quite different than what those two words now mean.

In fact, it meant something so different I think many conservatives would agree with this original notion of Social Justice.

Luigi Taparelli D?Azeglio, the coiner of the phrase “Social Justice,” believed that society was formed from different interactions and associations of people with each other — these spheres needed freedom so personal relationships and local responsibility would be encouraged.

As is noted in this excellent column, “[Taparelli] held that true justice can?t be achieved without doing justice to our social nature and natural forms of association. Social justice entailed a social order in which government doesn?t overrun or crowd out institutions of civil society such as family, church and local organizations. Rather, they are respected, protected, and allowed to flourish.”

“When we ignore, crowd out, or weaken nongovernmental institutions in the name of social justice, we hurt not only those institutions but the larger society as well. Those hit hardest, too often, are the very people Taparelli desired to help.”

The column is definitely worth a considerate read.

h/t Tony Listi