Distributive Justice Preferences and Cultural Factors in Romania

• Author: Buzea, C.
• Position: Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 127-134

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 5 (54) No. 2 - 2012

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE PREFERENCES

AND CULTURAL FACTORS

IN ROMANIA

Carmen BUZEA1

Abstract: The paper presents directions to investigate distributive justice

preferences in Romania, at national and regional level. Based on previous

findings, it was hypothesized that belonging to one of the six major cultural–

historical Romanian regions (Moldavia, Transylvania, Wallachia, Banat,

Dobruja, Oltenia) may affect the preference for a fairness principle. The

expectation is that people from Western Ro mania will prefer to a greater

extent an equity-based allocation model, while people from Southern and

Eastern parts of the country will prefer a distribution pattern with equality as

a stronger predictor. A factorial survey design to investigate distributive

justice in Romania is presented and discussed.

Key words: distributive justice, factorial survey, norms.

1 Faculty of Sociology and Communication, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Introduction

Given the importance of distributive

justice for both social policy and

organizations, this topic has gained a central

place in social sciences research. Scholars

were interested in giving answers to

questions regarding: (1) the distribution

norms perceived as fair; (2) the moderating

conditions that determine the choice of one

or more allocation norms, and (3) the role of

culture as determinant of preferred norms.

Early research pointed out the existence

of several distribution norms, such as

equity, equality, need, justified self-interest,

adhering to commitments, legality, the

Darwinian rule, ow nership [5], [16].

Moreover, Reis [23] identified seventeen

rules derived from the social sciences and

from legal, historical, and philosophical

sources.

In addition to inquiry into distribution

norms, a large part of the theoretical and

empirical research has been focused on the

moderating conditions that determine or

are associated with the choice of a certain

distribution rule [3], [19]. Early

delimitations were made by Deutsch [5]

who stated that the goal of the distribution

and the type of relation determine specific

allocation patterns. Thus, in collaborative

relationships, if the goal is economic

productivity, then equity will be the

dominant principle; if the goal is

maintaining enjoyable social relations,

then equality will be the dominant

principle; and if the goal is personal

welfare, then the need will be the dominant

principle.

Mikula [19] pointed out two categories

of factors affecting the allocation decision:

(1) characteristics of the allocator (e.g.,