Justice in Parent–Child Relations

Abstract

Abstract Chapter 13 contends that distributive justice plays a salient role in regulating parent–child relationships. For instance, parental distribution practices include love and respect, housework chores, and pocket money. Family life in democracies is governed by Western egalitarian justice, but daily family practices often deviate from this ideal. Thus, parental differential treatment is common, though not necessarily perceived as unjust. The chapter explains that, in light of comparisons drawn within the family and the understanding of equitable social exchange, inequality in parent–child relations is often seen as legitimate. At the same time, it stresses that children’s sense of injustice concerning parenting practices has harmful implications for their subjective well-being and for the quality of sibling relationships. Finally, the chapter discusses the feminist critique maintaining that the family is a significant agent of gender inequality within its unit and in the broader society.