Explaining the Position of Spatial Justice in Statecraft: Presenting an Indigenous Dignity–Capacity–Advantage Model

Aims: This study positions spatial justice as a foundational element of statecraft and proposes a conceptual framework for analyzing the distribution of power, wealth, and opportunities across national territory. It introduces an indigenous model to measure spatial justice through three interconnected components and argues that spatial justice enhances national cohesion, balanced development, and regional equity.

Methods: Employing a qualitative, descriptive-analytical approach, this research relies on documentary and content analysis. Data were drawn from international theoretical sources, policy documents, social justice theories, and political geography literature, framed within the nexus of social justice, space production, and spatially conscious governance.

Findings: Spatial inequality is primarily driven by political-economic centralization, uneven service allocation, and unequal access to opportunities. The study proposes the Dignity–Capacity–Advantage model, where spatial justice is achieved when each region maintains proportionality among these three elements (M ≈ C ≈ A). Strengthening local capacities, enhancing participatory decision-making, and recognizing regional dignity can convert territorial potentials into competitive advantages.

Conclusion: Spatial justice is essential for sustainable statecraft and serves as a benchmark for evaluating spatial governance. The proposed model demonstrates that the gap between dignity, capacity, and advantage is a valid fairness indicator. Achieving justice requires equitable resource redistribution, participatory governance, revision of centralized development patterns, and integration of the Dignity–Capacity–Advantage model into national planning and budgeting.

Keywords: Spatial Justice, Statecraft, Political Geography, Balanced Development, Spatial Inequality.