What does it mean to call Justice a Virtue?How does the ancient Greeks see the Virtue of Justice?

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Justice as a Virtue
What does it mean to call justice a virtue?
A virtue is a quality or trait that is perceived as morally good and therefore, valued as a principle and basis of good moral being. As a virtue, justice incorporates features such as moral reasoning and ethics (Drydyk 25). Justice is a moral virtue contained in a human’s firm and constant will to accord their dues to their neighbors and God. Justice accorded towards God is termed as the “virtue of religion.” As a virtue, justice towards humans inclines one to respect other people’s rights and to create harmony in human relations; this, in turn, enhances equity in common good and among individuals. A just man may be distinguished by his compulsive right thinking and the ethical nature of his behavior towards his neighbor. In the contemporary society, the conceptualization of justice an aspect of the law elucidates the natural law theories on the important connections amid law and justice through virtues such as law-abidance and the required virtues for the efficient functioning of the legal system.
How do the Ancient Greeks view the virtue of justice?
A Greek Philosopher, Plato, delineated four virtues which include justice, moderation, courage, and wisdom. In his writing, Plato outlined that justice is the bond that unifies the other three virtues. He believed that an individual might be considered just after attaining the three virtues. He accentuated the interconnection that exists amid the four virtues by arguing that the human soul is deemed to be perfect when all these aspects are present and functioning effectively.

Plato believed that a society is regulated through justice; this could be achieved when the human soul is organized efficiently (Drydyk 34). He believed that just people create a just society. Aristotle expanded further Plato’s conceptualization by incorporating additional virtues such as happiness. He also outlined interpretations regarding happiness: they include virtue, wisdom, and pleasure. He emphasizes that justice is an aspect that is reflected in just acts and that justice plays a significant role in the distribution and exchange process through aspects such as sustaining an equilibrium state in the exchange process. He further states that injustice fosters deficiency in the exchange process.
 
 

Work Cited
Drydyk, Jay. “A Capability Approach to Justice as a Virtue.” Ethical Theory & Moral Practice, vol. 15, no. 1, Feb. 2012, pp. 23-38.