Economic Justice as Rational Self-Interest

Yacob's rationalism extends to understanding that justice serves everyone's long-term interests. Extreme inequality creates social instability, reduces innovation potential by excluding talented people from opportunities, generates resentment, and ultimately threatens the security of the wealthy themselves. A rationally ordered society distributes resources more equitably because this produces better outcomes for all. This flips the typical debate: instead of asking wealthy people to sacrifice for morality, it shows them that economic justice is enlightened self-interest. Societies where basic needs are universally met produce healthier populations, more productive workers, and less violence. Yacob's tradition would argue that the extremely wealthy, if truly reasoning through their position, should support systems that lift others because these systems create the stable foundation their own prosperity requires. Economic justice becomes not charity but strategic investment in shared flourishing.