Let there be Justice even if the heaven falls!

"Justice is the constant and perpetual will to give each man his due." -Domitius Ulpianus

Justice is very important to me for reasons which I have trouble explaining, not just to others but to myself as well. I know that I have strong feelings about it, and that I have very little hesitation in deciding what I think is "just" or "unjust".
I had learned about Rawls' theories in my ethics class- about justice being fairness- and I am pretty sure that I disagree with just about everything he says.
So, I made this:

I think that it is only reasonable that I explore the concept of justice so that I can better understand and articulate my feelings about it. Also, so I can fight the madness that is justice as fairness.

Maybe some of you are familiar with Karl Marx's quote, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." This was actually a statement Marx made in regard to a perfectly communist society, where everyone is producing the maximum that they possibly can. He later refined his statement to, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution," to make up for the fact that, in reality, some people are lazy and don't contribute.

I have a problem with this statement because people ought not have to contribute as much as they are able, but as much as they want to contribute. They should have the freedom to decide whether they wish to only contribute half of their time or ability, or none at all. Also, unlike Rawls (damn you, Rawls!), I think that people ought to be able to pass down and give their money to others; that it is just that they be able to do so if they choose.
That is why I most agree with Nozick's statement "From each according to what he chooses to do, to each according to what he makes for himself, and what others choose to do for him, and choose to give him of what they have been given previously."

I will talk some more about justice a little later on, I am afraid of putting too much in one post and getting bogged down.
But before I go, here's a little sneak peek for you to begin formulating your own thoughts about whether it is merit or desert deserves greater consideration:

Merit: Chelsea merits more praise because she is very intelligent and got a good grade on her exam.
Desert: Savannah deserves more praise because she studied really, really hard for her exam and got a good grade on it.