Trust and Justice – Establishing the Link

ABSTRACT This article discusses the complementarity between the concepts of ‘justice’ and ‘trust’, and points out the ‘logical’ link between the two concepts, but observes that while the notions of justice implies trust, trust does not imply justice. The argument is that in the ideal situation where there is both trust and justice in a modern democratic state where cooperation is voluntary, there is a constant supply of justice that enhances the quality of governance. The substance of justice as fairness, is discussed with reference to Rawls concern with redistributive issues and this is illustrated by the long-standing land redistribution challenges in South Africa and other settler post-colonial states. This link with justice is established through order which originates from the trust that is generated through cooperation. The significance of justice for social order depends on the values it is associated with, and conversely, the significance of trust for social order depends on the degree of the presence of justice. Linking the two concepts: trust and justice, can thus enrich the analytical assessment of social order.