I think the first duty of society is justice.

Hear the resolute words of Alexander Hamilton, one of the architects of a young republic: “I think the first duty of society is justice.” In this declaration lies a truth that stands like a pillar through the ages. A society may build wealth, armies, and monuments, but without justice, it rots from within. For justice is the balance of human affairs, the shield of the weak, the restraint of the powerful, and the sacred bond that allows free people to live together in peace. All other duties are built upon it, for without justice, there is no trust, and without trust, no society.

The ancients, too, proclaimed this truth. Plato wrote in The Republic that justice is the harmony of the state, when each part fulfills its role rightly and none abuses its power. Cicero declared that justice is not born of law alone but of nature, eternal and unchanging, and that to violate it is to war against the order of the universe. Hamilton, standing centuries later, echoed these voices, knowing that a fragile republic, just emerged from revolution, would survive not by force but by fidelity to justice.

Consider the founding of the United States. The colonies had thrown off the yoke of Britain not merely for taxes or trade, but for what they perceived as injustice—laws imposed without consent, rights trampled by distant rulers. The revolution was, at its core, a cry for justice. Hamilton, having fought in that struggle, knew that the survival of this new society required that the cry be honored. If America could not establish justice, its freedom would be hollow, its promises false, and its people betrayed.

History is filled with examples where societies that ignored justice collapsed. In ancient Rome, when corruption consumed its courts and senators grew rich while the poor were neglected, justice withered, and with it, the republic itself. Violence and tyranny replaced fairness, and Rome sank into the rule of emperors. In contrast, societies that pursued justice, even imperfectly, laid stronger foundations. Consider Magna Carta in England, where barons forced the king to admit that even rulers were bound by law. That moment, though small at first, became a seed of liberty that grew for centuries.

The meaning of Hamilton’s words is profound: justice is not an ornament of society, but its root. Without it, wealth cannot buy peace, armies cannot secure loyalty, and power cannot endure. Justice is the silent contract that binds people to one another, the assurance that wrongs will be righted and dignity respected. When justice is upheld, trust grows; when it is denied, rebellion brews. Thus, to guard justice is not optional—it is the first and highest duty.

The lesson for us, O listener, is clear: if you wish to build or preserve a society, labor first for justice. Let your laws be fair, your leaders accountable, your dealings honest. Do not excuse injustice because it benefits you today, for tomorrow it may consume you. Instead, defend the rights of the powerless, for in their protection lies the protection of all. In your own life, act with fairness, for every just deed strengthens the greater fabric of the community.

Therefore, let Hamilton’s words resound as a command for all generations: “The first duty of society is justice.” Do not be deceived by false promises of prosperity without fairness, or of peace without equality. For these are illusions, fragile as smoke. Build upon justice, and your society will endure storms. Abandon it, and your society will crumble even in calm.

And so, remember this eternal truth: justice is the foundation stone of civilization. Guard it, defend it, live it, and pass it on. For only a just society can truly call itself free, and only a just people can truly call themselves strong.