Whether Liberality Is a Part of Justice?
Objection 1: It seems that liberality is not a part of justice. For
justice regards that which is due. Now the more a thing is due the
less liberally is it given. Therefore liberality is not a part of
justice, but is incompatible with it.
Obj. 2: Further, justice is about operation as stated above (Q. 58,
A. 9; I-II, Q. 60, AA. 2, 3): whereas liberality is chiefly about the
love and desire of money, which are passions. Therefore liberality
seems to belong to temperance rather than to justice.
Obj. 3: Further, it belongs chiefly to liberality to give becomingly,
as stated (A. 4). But giving becomingly belongs to beneficence and
mercy, which pertain to charity, as state above (QQ. 30, 31).
Therefore liberality is a part of charity rather than of justice.
_On the contrary,_ Ambrose says (De Offic. i): "Justice has to do
with the fellowship of mankind. For the notion of fellowship is
divided into two parts, justice and beneficence, also called
liberality or kind-heartedness." Therefore liberality pertains to
justice.
_I answer that,_ Liberality is not a species of justice, since
justice pays another what is his whereas liberality gives another
what is one's own. There are, however, two points in which it agrees
with justice: first, that it is directed chiefly to another, as
justice is; secondly, that it is concerned with external things, and
so is justice, albeit under a different aspect, a stated in this
Article and above (A. 2, ad 3). Hence it is that liberality is
reckoned by some to be a part of justice, being annexed thereto as to
a principal virtue.
Reply Obj. 1: Although liberality does not consider the legal due
that justice considers, it considers a certain moral due. This due is
based on a certain fittingness and not on an obligation: so that it
answers to the idea of due in the lowest degree.
Reply Obj. 2: Temperance is about concupiscence in pleasures of the
body. But the concupiscence and delight in money is not referable to
the body but rather to the soul. Hence liberality does not properly
pertain to temperance.
Reply Obj. 3: The giving of beneficence and mercy proceeds from the
fact that a man has a certain affection towards the person to whom he
gives: wherefore this giving belongs to charity or friendship. But
the giving of liberality arises from a person being affected in a
certain way towards money, in that he desires it not nor loves it: so
that when it is fitting he gives it not only to his friends but also
to those whom he knows not. Hence it belong not to charity, but to
justice, which is about external things.
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