Equality, equitableness and solidarity

Abstract

This paper suggests to decompose the unspecific idea of equality or, rather, of distributive justice, into the more specific ideas of strict equality, equitableness (according to contribution or effort), excellence (incentives for extraordinary contributions) and solidarity (compensation for the disabled). These are the criteria of justice in modern society - even though there is no agreement on how to reach them. School need not make up any new ones but adapt those to its own context. Besides, a distinction is made between intracommunity - class, gender and ethnicity - and intercommunity inequalities - between countries, communities and between nationals and immigrants.

Equality; Equitableness; Excellence; Solidarity; Discrimination; Class; Gender; Ethnicity; Citizenship