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Sen's Idea of Justice | ISC Class 11 Political Science

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Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice (ISC Class 11 Political Science)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Amartya Sen (The Idea of Justice, 2009) argues that justice should be judged comparatively by the real lives people can lead, not by a blueprint of perfect institutions. He distinguishes niti (rules) from nyaya (realised justice), judges by capabilities, values public reasoning and democracy, and accepts plural reasons, as in his three children and a flute example.

Understand Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice

Sen (born 1933). Indian economist and philosopher, Nobel Prize in Economics (1998); The Idea of Justice (2009).

Features.
1. Comparative, not ideal: he criticises theories like Rawls's that identify perfectly just institutions (transcendental institutionalism). We need not know what a perfectly just society is to recognise and remove clear injustices such as famine, slavery or the subjection of women.
2. Realisation-focused: what matters are the actual lives people can live, not only rules on paper.
3. Niti and nyaya: niti is organisational propriety and correct rules; nyaya is the realised justice that actually emerges. A just society must care about nyaya and avoid matsyanyaya, "justice in the world of fish", where a big fish freely devours a small one.
4. Removing manifest, remediable injustice step by step.
5. Capability approach: justice is judged by capabilities, the real freedom to do and be what one has reason to value (to be nourished, healthy, educated, to take part in community life). Resources or Rawls's primary goods are not enough because people differ in converting resources into a good life (a disabled person may need more resources to move about).
6. Public reasoning and democracy: justice is worked out through open public discussion; democracy as "government by discussion"; a free press and debate help prevent famines and expose injustice.
7. Open impartiality: following Adam Smith's impartial spectator, listen to views from outside our own society.
8. Plural reasons: in the flute example, Anne claims the flute because she alone can play it, Bob because he is poorest, Carla because she made it; each reason is strong and there may be no single right answer.

Contrast with Rawls. Rawls: ideal institutions, primary goods, a contract behind a veil; Sen: comparative reduction of injustice, capabilities, public reasoning.

Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice: key facts

Sen's approach
  • Comparative
  • Realisation-focused
  • Niti and nyaya
  • Capabilities
  • Public reasoning
  • Open impartiality
  • Plural reasons
Matsyanyaya
Justice in the world of fish | Big fish devours small one
Flute example
Annecan play
Bobpoorest
Carlamade it
Sen versus Rawls
  • Comparative versus ideal
  • Capabilities versus primary goods
  • Public reasoning versus veil

How to answer Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice questions

Features-only questions are 4 marks (eight features) and comparisons with Rawls are 4 to 8 marks.

  1. 1Name the book and year.
  2. 2List the features as numbered points.
  3. 3Use the flute example to show plural reasons.
  4. 4Contrast with Rawls on three points.

Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

The flute

Suppose three children want one flute: one can play it, one is very poor, one made it.

Which Sen idea does this show?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Plurality of reasons: each claim is strong.
  2. There may be no single right answer.

Answer: Plural reasons.

Memory hook: Three fair claims.

Equal means, unequal needs

Suppose two people receive the same food ration but one has a serious illness needing more food.

Which Sen criticism of primary goods does this show?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. People differ in converting resources into a good life.
  2. So capabilities, not resources alone, should be judged.

Answer: Capabilities matter more than resources alone.

Memory hook: Same ration, different needs.

Tricks to remember Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Niti rules, Nyaya results

    Niti is the rule; nyaya is the outcome.

    Use it when: Niti and nyaya.

  • Capabilities not cash

    Judge real freedoms, not just income.

    Use it when: Capabilities.

Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Book · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Sen's The Idea of Justice was published in:
(a) 1971
(b) 1998
(c) 2009
(d) 2019

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. 21st century.

Answer: (c) 2009.

Example 2: Niti and nyaya · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Explain niti, nyaya and matsyanyaya.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Niti is organisational propriety and correct rules.
  2. Nyaya is the realised justice of the world.
  3. Matsyanyaya is justice in the world of fish where a big fish devours a small one.

Answer: Rules, realised justice and the law of the fish.

Example 3: Capabilities · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain Sen's capability approach and why resources alone are not enough.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Capabilities are real freedoms to do and be what one has reason to value.
  2. Examples: to be nourished, healthy, educated, to take part in community life.
  3. People differ in converting resources into a good life.
  4. A disabled person may need more resources to move about.

Answer: Judge real freedoms because people convert resources differently.

Example 4: Sen and Rawls · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Contrast Sen's theory with Rawls's on method, what is measured and role of reasoning.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Sen is comparative and realisation-focused; Rawls seeks ideal just institutions.
  2. Sen measures capabilities; Rawls uses primary goods.
  3. Sen stresses open public reasoning and democracy; Rawls uses a veil of ignorance thought experiment.
  4. Sen accepts plural reasons; Rawls derives two principles.

Answer: Sen: comparative, capabilities, public reasoning; Rawls: ideal institutions, primary goods, veil.

Example 5: Flute analysis · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case: Anne can play the flute, Bob has no toys, Carla made it. (a) Name the three reasons. (b) Say which Sen idea this illustrates. (c) Explain how public reasoning would help.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Fulfilment (Anne), equality or need (Bob), reward for labour (Carla).
  2. (b) Plurality of reasons.
  3. (c) Open discussion would bring out the reasons, help find the most reasonable outcome and give a fair hearing to all, though there may be no single answer.

Answer: (a) Fulfilment, need, labour (b) plural reasons (c) open discussion of reasons.

Where students lose marks in Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Writing Sen's ideas as Rawls's

    Theories mixed.

    Do this: Sen: capabilities, comparative; Rawls: primary goods, veil.

    Usually costs: 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Omitting the flute example

    Plural reasons lacks illustration.

    Do this: Briefly state the three claims.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Misdating the book

    Years confused.

    Do this: The Idea of Justice, 2009; A Theory of Justice, 1971.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • List eight features briefly.
  • Use Sanskrit terms accurately.
  • Contrast with Rawls in a table.
  • Include the flute example.

Practice questions on Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    Matsyanyaya means:
    (a) correct rules
    (b) justice in the world of fish
    (c) public reasoning
    (d) capability

    Hint

    Big fish.

    Answer

    (b) Justice in the world of fish.

  2. Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain what Sen means by "transcendental institutionalism" and his objection.

    Hint

    Perfect institutions.

    Answer

    It is the search for perfectly just institutions; Sen objects that we can recognise and remove clear injustices without knowing what a perfect society is.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Distinguish Sen's comparative approach from transcendental institutionalism, with one example of a manifest injustice.

    Hint

    Perfect blueprint versus removing clear injustices.

    Answer

    Transcendental institutionalism seeks to identify perfectly just institutions, as Rawls does. Sen's comparative approach instead compares actual social arrangements and asks which reduces injustice, so we need not know what a perfectly just society is. Manifest injustices such as famine, slavery or the subjection of women can be recognised and removed step by step.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain how democracy and a free press help prevent famines according to Sen.

    Hint

    Public reasoning.

    Answer

    Democratic debate and a free press expose problems early and make governments answerable, so they are pushed to act.

  5. Q5 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Case: A panel debates whether to judge a policy by cash transfers or by the real freedoms people gain. (a) Name the approach favouring real freedoms. (b) Name the opposing Rawlsian measure. (c) Give one reason for Sen's choice.

    Hint

    Capabilities versus primary goods.

    Answer

    (a) The capability approach. (b) Primary goods. (c) People differ in converting resources into a good life.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Nobel year?Show answer

    1998.

  2. 2.Sen's book?Show answer

    The Idea of Justice, 2009.

  3. 3.Niti means?Show answer

    Organisational propriety, rules.

  4. 4.Nyaya means?Show answer

    Realised justice.

  5. 5.Flute claimants?Show answer

    Anne, Bob, Carla.

Amartya Sen's Idea of Justice: frequently asked questions

Does Sen reject Rawls entirely?

He criticises the search for an ideal blueprint.

What is open impartiality?

Listening to views from outside our own society.

Why democracy?

Justice is worked out through public reasoning.