The article provides a historical overview of the evolution of social justice, a concept the development of which is interwoven with liberal ideology and practices. The inception of liberalism and its various historical levels are examined, explicating the way social justice arose as a significant social value and shifted as liberal thought evolved. The impact and limitations of these understandings and implementations of social justice over the past 200 years are discussed. The theories of Nancy Fraser and Martha Nussbaum are briefly summarized and presented as approaches that have sought to overcome current challenges to social justice in a globalized context.