Case Background
“A social worker, Mr. Potato Lam, was arrested by the police in the “Occupying the Central” movement on July 1, 2015. He was convicted of Illegal Assembly and Common Assault (threw eggs at a government official). He was sentenced for 18 months’ Probation Order by the court. Since the crime he committed was “punishable with imprisonment”, he was complained by his supervisor to the Disciplinary Committee of Social Worker Registration Board (SWRB). The supervisor also asked the committee’s instruction that, because of the serious nature of this offence, if Mr. Lam would be removed from the Register permanently (s. 25 & 30, Cap. 505). He would like to take this case as a warning to his subordinates and asked them not to join the …show more content…
The first and second principle addressed that “each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others”; “Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that - (a) they are to be of the greatest benefit to the least-advantaged members of society, consistent with the just savings principle; (b) offices and positions must be open to everyone under conditions of fair equality of opportunity” respectively (p. 53). Other researchers (Frankena, 1962, Toynbee, 1976) tried to give a clear definition to social justice. Social justice described as an asset of social systems by Frankena (1962). Toynbee (1976) mentioned that establishing social justice to the possible greatest degree is the best shield against fascism. Recently, social justice was categorized by Jost and Kay (2010) into three aspects – distributive, procedural and interactional. These three aspects of justice corresponded to the elements addressed by different philosophical discourses (Elster, 1992; Feinberg, 1973; Frankena, 1962; Miller, 1999; Walzer, 1983). Distributive justice concerns about how burdens and benefits were allocated by a set of rules. Procedural justice focuses on the norms and procedures which rule over decision making, including political decisions in accordance with the preservation of both individual’s and community’s basic rights and freedom. …show more content…
In other words, in order to achieve social justice, well-being of the society should be regarded as the most important result, other than individual’s and government’s interest. Among conflicts, compromise sometimes is a must.
A local example of realization of social justice is Occupy Central with Love and Peace Campaign (OCLP). OCLP is undoubtedly a prominent campaign in Hong Kong history. Its founders believed that a just political system is a fundamental element of a real harmonious society. Owing to love and concern for Hong Kong, this campaign aimed at fighting for realizing the election of the Chief Executive by a democratic universal and equal suffrage in 2017 though nonviolent civil disobedience. Awakening and initiations of individuals and society determined the success of this campaign. Four basic steps were signing covenant, deliberation day, citizen authorization and civil disobedience. The BBC commented “Hong Kong protesters are so freaking nice,” and “things that could only happen in a Hong Kong protest.” (Dissanayake, 2014). Civic consciousness, one of the objectives of OCLP Campaign, was not only shown by means of conflicts and hostility, but also of Chater study room, self-initiated recycling, communion of different
“A social worker, Mr. Potato Lam, was arrested by the police in the “Occupying the Central” movement on July 1, 2015. He was convicted of Illegal Assembly and Common Assault (threw eggs at a government official). He was sentenced for 18 months’ Probation Order by the court. Since the crime he committed was “punishable with imprisonment”, he was complained by his supervisor to the Disciplinary Committee of Social Worker Registration Board (SWRB). The supervisor also asked the committee’s instruction that, because of the serious nature of this offence, if Mr. Lam would be removed from the Register permanently (s. 25 & 30, Cap. 505). He would like to take this case as a warning to his subordinates and asked them not to join the …show more content…
The first and second principle addressed that “each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others”; “Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that - (a) they are to be of the greatest benefit to the least-advantaged members of society, consistent with the just savings principle; (b) offices and positions must be open to everyone under conditions of fair equality of opportunity” respectively (p. 53). Other researchers (Frankena, 1962, Toynbee, 1976) tried to give a clear definition to social justice. Social justice described as an asset of social systems by Frankena (1962). Toynbee (1976) mentioned that establishing social justice to the possible greatest degree is the best shield against fascism. Recently, social justice was categorized by Jost and Kay (2010) into three aspects – distributive, procedural and interactional. These three aspects of justice corresponded to the elements addressed by different philosophical discourses (Elster, 1992; Feinberg, 1973; Frankena, 1962; Miller, 1999; Walzer, 1983). Distributive justice concerns about how burdens and benefits were allocated by a set of rules. Procedural justice focuses on the norms and procedures which rule over decision making, including political decisions in accordance with the preservation of both individual’s and community’s basic rights and freedom. …show more content…
In other words, in order to achieve social justice, well-being of the society should be regarded as the most important result, other than individual’s and government’s interest. Among conflicts, compromise sometimes is a must.
A local example of realization of social justice is Occupy Central with Love and Peace Campaign (OCLP). OCLP is undoubtedly a prominent campaign in Hong Kong history. Its founders believed that a just political system is a fundamental element of a real harmonious society. Owing to love and concern for Hong Kong, this campaign aimed at fighting for realizing the election of the Chief Executive by a democratic universal and equal suffrage in 2017 though nonviolent civil disobedience. Awakening and initiations of individuals and society determined the success of this campaign. Four basic steps were signing covenant, deliberation day, citizen authorization and civil disobedience. The BBC commented “Hong Kong protesters are so freaking nice,” and “things that could only happen in a Hong Kong protest.” (Dissanayake, 2014). Civic consciousness, one of the objectives of OCLP Campaign, was not only shown by means of conflicts and hostility, but also of Chater study room, self-initiated recycling, communion of different