"To Each His Own" (Suum Cuique): Meaning, Origin, and Application

"To each his own" (Latin: Suum cuique) is a principle of justice meaning "to everyone what is due" or "let each have his own." It asserts that individuals should receive what they deserve—whether reward or consequence—based on their actions, merits, or rights.

Historical Origins

• Roman law: Justitia suum cuique distribuit — "Justice renders to each his due" (Ulpian, Digest).
• Cicero: Suum cuique pulchrum est — "To each his own is beautiful/fair."
• Plato/Aristotle: Distributive justice — proportional equality based on merit/contribution.

Modern Interpretations

1. Justice and Fairness

Legal systems aim to give each person their due: punishment for crimes, compensation for harm, rights protection, rewards for achievement.

2. Tolerance of Diversity

Colloquially used as "different strokes for different folks" — acknowledging legitimate differences in taste, preference, lifestyle without judgment.

3. Property and Autonomy

Respect for individual ownership and self-determination: "What's yours is yours; what's mine is mine."

Ethical Nuance

• Does not justify inequality: "due" must be based on relevant criteria (effort, need, rights), not bias.
• Conflicts with egalitarian principles when "desert" is unequally distributed by circumstance.
• In healthcare: distributive justice (need-based) may override "to each his own" (merit-based).

Cultural References

• Motto of the Order of the Black Eagle (Prussia).
• Inscribed on Nuremberg Palace of Justice.
• Used in literature, law, and everyday speech to affirm fairness or accept differences.

The phrase endures because it captures a deep intuition: fairness means giving people what they have earned or are entitled to—while reminding us that defining "due" is the hard work of justice.