Theories of Justice in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

Authors

Keywords:

South Africa, Constitution, justice

Abstract

In this paper, the author analyzes the South African Constitution (1996), based upon and codifying major principles of justice in the Republic of South Africa. The purpose of the paper is to determine which theories of justice motivated it, are reflected in it, and are meant to be protected by it. The analysis reveals that at least four major ways of thinking about justice are illustrated, to one degree or another, in the document.

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Published

2026-08-22

How to Cite

Theories of Justice in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. (2026). Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Studies (JAMS), 1(1), Page 366-381. https://jamsjournal.org/JAMS/article/view/91

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