Equity and Equality
CIRPEE Working Paper No. 06-29
49 Pages Posted: 10 Aug 2006
Date Written: September 2006
Abstract
Is horizontal equity (HE) the "most widely accepted principle of equity"? Or does it stand in "opposition to the advancement of human welfare"? This paper argues that the case for the HE principle is not as straightforward as is usually thought and that it requires advanced notions of justice and well-being. The most likely ethical basis for HE appears to combine a Rawlsian maximin principle and a view of well-being that allows for relative local comparison effects. The paper also explores some of the dimensions of equality and well-being along which the HE principle can be applied and presents a number of examples showing how HE considerations can provide an important input into policy analysis.
Keywords: Horizontal equity, vertical equity, redistribution, equality, social justice
JEL Classification: D31, D60, D63, I30
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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