Why, in tarot, do 8 & 11 of the major arcana 'switch'?

Question

Why, in tarot, do 8 & 11 of the major arcana 'switch'?

Answer 1

The Rider-Waite deck was one of the first to position Justice at XI and Strength at VIII.  Most decks prior to this had them reversed and many more recent decks have returned to the "older" ordering.

Why?  Well, there are lots of explanations out there.

If one looks at the Major Arcana as a continuous story - the Fool's Journey from ignorance to the universal enlightenment of The World (numbered XXI) then it does make a certain sort of sense to move from the outward manifestation of power and might in The Chariot (VII) to the more subtle balance and self-control of Strength.  If the Chariot is about victory through action, Strength is more about victory through inner balance and inner qualities influencing external situations.  Similarly, there is a sort of sense in Justice (XI) and the emphasis on personal responsibility and accountability following the big picture revelation of The Wheel of Fortune (X) and in the Fool realizing the cyclical nature of life.

Some interpretations also equate the Major Arcana with Astrological signs and argue that Strength preceding Justice better follows the order of the signs and some argue the underlying meanings of the numbers 8 and 11 and how those meanings best match Strength being VIII and Justice XI.  I'm not super conversant in those two interpretations, but the link provided has more detail.