What is justice?

The dictionary tells me it is "the quality of being just". Then what does it mean to be just? Again according to the dictionary, it means to be "honourable and fair in one's dealings with others; consistent with what is morally right; properly due or merited; lawful; suitable or proper in nature; based on fact or sound reasons". That is a lot of meanings for a single word, which to me indicates that we don't know what we mean when we say "justice". We often use it to refer to appropriate punishment: "he was brought to justice" or "justice was done". It is also used to mean the righting of wrongs: "they were finally granted justice". It seems to mean "to do what is right".* But then the question must be asked - what is right? What is just?

In a conversation between my father and my younger sister today, he mentioned that some Holocaust survivors devoted their lives after the war to finding Nazis and bringing them to justice. And the thought occurred to me - what justification is there for the execution of war criminals?  It is not prevention of further suffering by them, because they no longer can cause it. I find it difficult to believe that war criminals would fear execution by other nations, because I don't believe they feel themselves vulnerable in that way, so the executions themselves are not a deterrent to others. It is not recompense, because the victims gain nothing material from it. The reasons I am aware of for punishment are preventing further crime, repaying the victims for what they lost, and emotional satisfaction of those affected. Does this mean that we execute war criminals for revenge? Somehow there is an element of punishment missing, because my mind rebels and says "there is no fit punishment any less severe". Perhaps punishment is a way to force criminals to give back to society? That doesn't seem to make sense. Criminals are removed from society for a length of time proportionate to the wrongs they did. Their absence is compensation to the community? That is illogical. So from the question of "what is just?" has emerged the question of "what is punishment?".

I do not know the answer to these questions. It would be surprising if I did, being so young. But I feel they are questions worthy of asking. It is too easy to use words without defining them, and although this does not matter for "gossamer" or "vibrant", it certainly does matter for "justice" and "freedom". Constitutions are built on words such as these, laws are written around them, leaders chosen to uphold them. Could you explain your values without using synonyms? Often our responses to moral questions are visceral - inside our heads we shout. But until we can articulate why something is ethical, why it is morally good, we cannot persuade others, and only by persuasion may definitions of justice and freedom be spread.