Some might indeed argue that all that in fact could be
meant by the claim that a choice between the competing
claims of different classes or interests was made 'for the common
good', was that the claims of all had been thus impartially
surveyed before decision. Whether this is true or not, it
seems clear that justice in this sense is at least a necessary
condition to be satisfied by any legislative choice which
purports to be for the common good. We have here a further
aspect of distributive justice, differing from those simple forms
which we have discussed. For here what is justly 'distributed'
is not some specific benefit among a class of claimants to it,
but impartial attention to and consideration of competing
claims to different benefits.