Folia Theologica 11. (2000)

Eugene Csocsan de Váralja: The Just Income Distribution

FOLIA THEOLOGICA 11 (2000)

111

Eugene CSOCSAN de Váralja

THE JUST INCOME DISTRIBUTION

Introduction. According to Aristotle the science is knowledge through causes.1 Income distribution is performed by the market, but it depends on the amount of national income just as on the system of law in force and it is the required means making the division of labour possible, which serves as its immediate aim. Income distribution could be defined therefore as the distribution of the national income (causa materialis) defined by the system of law (causa formalis) though the market (causa efficiens) for the immediate purpose of the division of labour (causa finalis).

As in the Aristotelian system the material cause and the formal cause forms strong connection, the right income distribution also can not be achieved by concentrating only on the legal system nor by the increase of the national income alone. The types of income distributions can be differentiated by the legal systems in force, as the form distinguishes the species, and the just income distribution depends on correspondence of the legal system to the ethical norms and on its correspondence to the hierarchy of aims

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Metaphysica, I, III, 1, 983/a (ARISTOTLE: The Metaphysics Book I-IX with an English translation by Hugh Tredennick, Cambridge Massachusetts-London 1961, page 16, lines 24-34)