réttlætri

Réttlætri is a concept in Icelandic moral and political discourse that denotes justice, fairness, and moral rightness. It is used to describe the quality of actions, institutions, and policies in light of what is considered rightful and equitable.

In philosophy, rettlætri is discussed as a normative ideal. The field distinguishes between different dimensions of justice, including distributive justice (how benefits and burdens are allocated), commutative or corrective justice (fairness in exchanges and remedies for wrongdoing), and restorative justice (repairing harms and reconciling parties).

In legal and public policy contexts, rettlætri guides debates on taxation, welfare, criminal justice, and constitutional rights. Proponents argue that justice requires equal consideration of needs and rights, while critics warn that the ideal can be difficult to translate into practical rules or may conflict with efficiency or liberty.

In Icelandic discourse, rettlætri also intersects with social trust and governance, evaluating whether institutions distribute burdens and protections fairly across different populations.

See also: justice, ethics, political philosophy.